PIDO Jarencio's second coming at University of Santo Tomas is official.
The former UST star guard and beloved coach who led the Tigers to their last UAAP championship in 2006 is back in charge in the school, replacing Bal David.
He met with the holdovers of David's team on Friday to begin his second run in Espana, which he left in 2013 to coach GlobalPort (now NorthPort) in the PBA.
READ: Why Coach Pido is suddenly in line for a return to UST
Sources said he has tapped former UST players Japs Cuan and Jeric Fortuna, Juven Ledesma and his son Jaren Jarencio as his assistant coaches.
Letran coach Bonnie Tan was named consultant, the source added. Tan assumed the head-coaching job at NorthPort in the PBA recently, allowing Jarencio to slide down to a team manager role and, eventually, take on a college coaching position.
Jarencio is still regarded as a hero for leading the Tigers to a finals appearance as a player in 1984 and to six Final Four stints and three finals as a coach.
Rumors of his return started as early as last year amid negotiations between UST officials and San Miguel Corp. on a partnership for the school's basketball program.
No agreement was reached between the two camps, but the rumors picked up again when David stepped down last month even with a year left in his UST contract.
Sources said Jarencio's second coming won't come with the support and resources of SMC, which still maintains sponsorships with other top college teams like La Salle and FEU.
However, insiders are confident the SMC tie-up that is needed to revitalize the UST program will eventually come through SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua, a former Tigers player.
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