PIDO Jarencio has decided to stay on as University of Santo Tomas coach after negotiations with PBA ballclub Barako Bull apparently fell through, with the head-coaching job set to go to Rajko Toroman.
Jarencio himself confirmed his decision to remain with the school he led to the championship in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League and a runner-up finish in the UAAP last season, telling Spin.ph in a short SMS message: "UST pa din ako."
The former UST hotshot had hinted over the holidays that he was leaning toward leaving the Tigers amid negotiations with Barako Bull on the job handled by Bong Ramos in an interim capacity after Junel Baculi's firing late in the PBA Philippine Cup.
But hopes of Jarencio's appointment dimmed in the past few days as Toroman's name surfaced in the search for the next Barako Bull coach.
The former Ginebra guard, who led UST to the 2006 crown on his first year as coach, declined to talk about what happened to the negotiations with Barako Bull.
“Sila nalang ang kausapin niyo,” Jarencio said when asked about the job at Barako Bull.
Jarencio said his focus is now on the Tigers, who are expected to once again figure prominently in the UAAP title race next season with a practically intact lineup that lost just one key player, point guard Jeric Fortuna, to graduation.
Among those still with the Tigers are incoming captain Jeric Teng and Karim Abdul, who finished second to Bobby Ray Parks in last year's MVP race.
“Basta handa lang natin team natin. Hindi ko naman sinasabi na malakas ang team natin,” Jarencio said.
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