Pido Jarencio reclaims former post as UST’s chief tactician

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Is this the start of another winning era for the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers?

After successive losing seasons in the UAAP while failing to punch a ticket to the Final Four, one of the best head coaches to ever handle the UST collegiate men’s basketball team is back to help the school regain its lost spark.

Pido Jarencio, the architect behind the Growling Tigers’ UAAP championship title way back in Season 69, was called up once again in an attempt to break the school’s losing spell.

Everything was made official after The Varsitarian, UST’s official school publication, revealed the recent development happening inside the Growling Tigers’ hoops gym.

It was a rough stretch for the Growling Tigers after failing to qualify in the Final Four for three years already.

UST last advanced to the Final Four four years ago when coach Aldin Ayo was still handling the team.

Despite the appointment of coach Bal David as the newest chief mentor of the Growling Tigers last season, the talented team still wasn’t Final Four material and conceded another season to the UP Fighting Maroons, Ateneo Blue Eagles, DLSU Green Archers, and the Adamson Soaring Falcons.

Now with Jarencio back in the fold, the Growling Tigers are expected to perform at a better level next playing season.

Aside from steering UST to the UAAP title last 2006, Jarencio also made sure that the school was a strong contender for the championship every year.

The former PBA guard cemented his name as a legend in the UST when he led the school to two more grand final trips in 2012 and 2013.

However, Jarencio wasn’t able to imitate what he did with the team last 2006 and settled for back-to-back first runner-up finishes.

Jarencio’s last coaching stint was with the NorthPort Batang Pier, serving as the team’s head coach during the start of the Robert Bolick era several years ago.