UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers showed they are slowly adapting into the system of new head coach Aldin Ayo as proven by their victories in recent out-of-town tournaments.
After scoring a lopsided triumph over Hercor College Jaguars in an exhibition match in Bingawan, Iloilo, Tigers clinched the crown in the 8th Mayor Kim Lope A. Asis Cup Invitational on Friday at the Lope Asis Memorial Gym in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.
Tigers opened their campaign with a 78-71 win over University of Cebu Webmasters last Tuesday before dropping Southwestern University Cobras 95-89 in overtime Wednesday night.
In the semifinal round, Tigers ousted Lyceum of the Philippines Pirates 101-88 before completing their unbeaten run in the four-day event with an 88-83 win over Webmasters in the finals.
Among those who stood out for Tigers in those four matches were veterans Henri Lorenzo Subido, Marvin Lee, Crispin John Cansino, Toby Agustin, Zachary Huang, Joshua Marcos, Kenneth Zamora, and Enrique Caunan.
Also giving impressive performance for Tigers were Soulemane Chabi Yo and Brent Paraiso, who are both making their UST debut next year as they continue to serve residency.
“So far, so good for us but there is still a long way to go,” said Ayo. “We are using these tournaments to let the players adapt to my system further.”
Ayo is hopeful the Tigers will already have a grasp of his “Mayhem” system when the UAAP basketball season starts in September.
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For the fourth time in the ongoing 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, Magnolia Hotshots tapped a new reinforcement – bringing in former PBA Best Import awardee Wayne Chism.
Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero said they were forced to tap Chism in lieu of Justin Jackson due to the former’s experience as they fight for a playoffs spot in the midseason conference.
“Actually it was a hard decision for us to let go of Justin. He is a very nice guy,” Victolero said. “But we just need a more experienced guy going into our last two games in the eliminations.”
“He (Chism) is a more complete player. He knows how to play here since he has been here four times before and I think he can help us a lot in terms of his experience,” he added.
This will be the 31-year-old Jackson, Tennessee native’s fourth stint in the league after playing for Rain or Shine Elasto Painters twice and once with NLEX Road Warriors.
Chism, who steered Painters to a runner-up finish in the 2015 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, was supposed to return earlier this conference for Blackwater Elite but did not push through due to his prior commitment.
Chism will be Hotshots’ fourth import in the Commissioner’s Cup. Magnolia started the conference with Vernon Macklin before tapping Curtis Kelly and Jackson.
Currently on seventh place in the standings (4-5 win-loss), Hotshots will still face Road Warriors and defending champion San Miguel Beermen when the league resumes from a weeklong break on July 4./PN
