ALDIN Ayo’s mother wasn’t around at the Philsports Arena in Pasig for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup game between Converge and San Miguel Beer on Friday night.
But the FiberXers coach is certain she was monitoring the game even while in hospital for her regular chemotherapy.
And for sure, the Ayo matriarch was beaming with pride as Converge pulled the rug from under San Miguel, 106-102, for their second straight win in a week.
See: Mike DiGregorio breaks out after heart-to-heart talk with Aldin Ayo
“She was not able to watch because she had chemotherapy today. But for sure while she’s having chemo at St. Luke’s, she has a phone and watching,” said the Converge coach.
“And I’m sure she’s very happy because ito yung kinatatakutan niya. Yung team na ito.”
An only child, Ayo grew up very close to his mother, Eduarda V. Ayo, that when the major decision on the Converge coaching offer came, the two-time college champion coach had to get the consent of his No. 1 supporter.
It was Aldin Ayo's mom who convinced him to accept the coaching spot at Converge.
“Sabi niya gusto kitang mapanood na nagko-coach sa PBA,” Ayo recalled her mother telling him prior to accepting the PBA coaching job during his guesting in a recent SPIN Zoom In episode.
So it was her mother who convinced Ayo to take on the vacant Converge coaching post left by Jeff Cariaso.
But at the same time, the elder Ayo was not sure if the FiberXers and his son could compete with the league’s top guns, especially June Mar Fajardo and the San Miguel Beermen.
“Ang unang tanong sa akin ni Mama, ‘Kaya n’yo bang manalo sa San Miguel?” the coach disclosed with a chuckle.
Ayo didn’t promise anything to his mother other than to do his best.
And he stayed true to his words as Converge dominated San Miguel for almost the entire game, where it even led by as many as 65-48.
The FiberXers did lose their big lead and saw the Beermen even grab the upperhand at 100-95 at the 4:37 mark.
But Aljun Melecio, Mike Digregorio, Mav Ahanmisi, Justine Arana, and import Quincy Miller came through with a pivotal 11-0 blast going home to restore the Converge lead, 106-100, in the final 45 seconds.
Converge improved to a 3-2 record for a tie with NLEX at third to fourth place as Ayo won his first back-to-back games in the PBA.
But even before the win, Ayo said he expected ribbing from his mother win or lose.
“Pero sinasabihan (niya) ako wala naman si June Mar,” said Ayo, his mother obviously referring to the absence of San Miguel Beer main man June Mar Fajardo, who is still recuperating from a recent throat surgery.
“We’ll, she was right.”
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