For coach Aldin Ayo, transitioning to become a 3×3 coach is a great experience.
Basketball players who shift to the sport rely on individual talents.
“The players rely on their individual capabilities. It will depend on their talents and skills,” said Ayo when he discussed his new role as coach of the Manila Chooks 3×3 team which will see action in two international meets this year.
Ayo, who accepted his new job some two months after getting sanctioned by the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, said this last Saturday when he guested in Noli Eala’s weekly Power and Play show.
This will be Ayo’s chance to redeem himself after he was named head coach of the newly christened Manila Chooks team that will see action in upcoming international meets organized by FIBA.
The 43-year-old Ayo replaced coach Eric Altamirano and was introduced last week to the team.
He will handle the team which used to be known as Chooks 3×3 Team Pilipinas. They will have Joshua Munzon, who is currently ranked no. 1 locally.
“This is the one thing that fascinates me in 3×3. Walang coach during the game. Pero meron coach during training. Here, you coach a player until he reaches a point that he won’t need you. And that means that these players are good,” said Ayo.
Nationally ranked no. 2 Alvin Pasaol, no. 5 Troy Rike, and no. 6 Santi Santillan are the other players Ayo will handle.
Ayo quit his job as head coach of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers before getting sanctioned by the UAAP last September 9,
That was before Ayo was handed an indefinite ban from participating in all UAAP events and UAAP-sanctioned activities by the Board of Trustees.
This was after he got involved in an alleged training bubble in Sorsogon that the team conducted last July.