Letran Squires’ mentor Allen Ricardo is stepping in as the interim head coach of the Knights.
For now, Ricardo is being groomed to temporarily take the place of Rensy Bajar as the Knights prepare for season 100 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.
School officials confirmed their appointment of Ricardo on a social media post Friday afternoon.
The replacement of Bajar came after the Knights experienced their worst season last year, dropping to the bottom of the standings with their 2-16 win-loss record.
Ricardo made an impression after he coached the Letran Squires to a title in 98th NCAA junior cagefest and is back to help them to a title retention bid.
His entry into the junior division last season saw the Squires ending a two decades-long title drought.
The Squires, however, lost their second game of season 99 on Friday to the San Beda Red Cubs, 72-88 at the FilOil-EcoOil Arena in San Juan.
Kirk Canete showed the way for the Red Cubs with 24 points, while Moses Manalili knocked in 18 points for the Squires.
The Squires now have a 1-1 slate, after swamping the Jose Rizal University Light Bombers, 102-64, in their opening game last week.
The Letran Squires had a historic finish in Season 98 when they halted a 22-year title drought by beating the College of Saint Benilde-La Salle Green Hills twice in the finals.
Meanwhile, the University of Perpetual Help Junior Altas and the San Sebastian Staglets posted their second straight wins to stay in the lead.
The Junior Altas, led by Mark Cruz with 25 points, smothered Emilio Aguinaldo College, while Ruvic Danog shot 18 points in leading the Staglets to a 101-62 crushing of the Lyceum Junior Pirates.