They won a UAAP championship together seven years ago. Now Justine Baltazar and Aldin Ayo are teaming up in the PBA.
When Aldin Ayo took over the coaching reins of the DLSU Green Archers in 2016, one of the rookies on the team was a gangling freshman from Pampanga named Justine Baltazar. They won a championship together that year and finished runner-up the following season.
Ayo eventually left to coach the UST Growling Tigers, while Baltazar went through three different coaches with La Salle but developed well enough to get a Gilas Pilipinas call-up in 2021.
A year later, Ayo was appointed coach of the upstart PBA team Converge FiberXers, while Baltazar played out his UAAP eligibility. Baltazar almost went to Korea, but eventually suited up for Pampanga in the MPBL, where he was named MVP last year.
Meanwhile, Ayo and the FiberXers won just two games the whole of last season, giving them the top overall pick for the PBA Season 49 Draft.
On Sunday, to no one’s surprise, they used it on Baltazar, the consensus top overall pick in the field of 67 applicants.
For both player and coach, the reunion was a long time coming.
“Na-coachan ko siya ng early part ng collegiate career niya,” Ayo said. “And yung mga skill sets na tinuro ng coaching staff, not necessarily me kasi during that time nandun sina Coach Glenn (Capacio), nandun sina Coach Louie (Gonzalez). Pero yung mga skill sets na yun naituro namin sa kanya.
“Big man, skilled, nandito lahat. And aside from the talent and the skills that he has, I know him, we know him personally. We know that he’s a winner. We know that he’s going to do whatever it takes to help our team win.
“Yun ang hinahanap namin na mga traits eh, and nandun sa kanya lahat eh. We didn’t want to name him early kasi may mga dumarating pa eh. Pero, nandito na. And nung umalis ako, kung saan saan team na siya naglaro, nakikita namin na nandun. Aside from that, nadagdagan eh. Hindi naman tumitigil ito si Balti sa pagbuo ng skills niya.”
Baltazar is keen on repaying Ayo for the trust he put in when he was just a rookie.
“Sobrang sarap sa feeling kasi nga sabi ni Coach na naging coach ko sa 2016 at 2017 na parang konti lang ang nagawa ko. So parang ito na yung time na kailangan kong bumawi kay Coach para makatulong ako sa Converge ngayon.”
Ayo said “Balti” is skilled enough to play three different positions, and is excited to field him alongside Justin Arana to form a twin towers combo.
“Si Balti makakapaglaro ng 4 eh. Pag may dumating pa na big man, or pag may import, I might slide him to the 3 spot. Ganun ka-versatile. Do it all.
Being the top overall pick comes with great expectations, especially against the top big men in the league. Ayo wants to temper those expectations, although he’s confident Baltazar can hold his own.
“If you’re going to compare Balti to June Mar (Fajardo), (Christian) Standhardinger and Japeth (Aguilar(, mas malalaki yun kay Balti and probably more experienced,” Ayo said, citing three of the best big men in the PBA. “Mga beterano yun, pero doon na papasok doon yung character, doon na papasok yung palagi namin ginagamit na grit na he’ll find a way to do it”.
Added Baltazar: “Iba yung June Mar Fajardo eh. Ilan times nang nag-MVP. Kailangan ko paghandaan talaga.”
Baltazar still has to fulfill his MPBL obligations before he can join the FiberXers, but the team can wait.
“They (Pampanga) have to win first. Kami naman, we have to be patient. Whatever it is, kung anong desisyon ni Gov. Delta (Pineda, who owns the MPBL team), susundin natin. But, we’re excited na nandito na sa amin si Balti. Kung kailan darating, kung kailan maglalaro, antay lang.”
Banner Image from PBA Media Bureau.
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