University of Santo Tomas head coach Pido Jarencio took full responsibility for the lowly Growling Tigers’ disappointing season in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament.

The Growling Tigers finished Season 86 at the bottom standings for the second straight year, this time only tallying two wins both at the expense of the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, against 10 losses.

It was the 59-year-old tactician’s worst record in the UAAP and a far cry from his first coaching stint with the university in 2006 where he led the squad to the Season 69 championship title.

“Disappointing season for us. Dalawa lang ‘yong pinanalo. I take full responsibility. I disappointed the UST community. Humihingi ako ng pasensya sa kanila. For sure, we’ll be better next season with our recruits andiyan na,” said UST head coach Pido Jarencio.

Aside from lamenting the two-win campaign in his collegiate return, Jarencio also sighted a lack of honesty from one of his players.

Though without giving names, Jarencio was referring to foreign student-athlete Adam Faye, who only played two games before sitting out the rest of the season due to back injury.

Earlier this month, a source confirmed to The Varsitarian that Faye has eventually left the team and chose to recover in his home country of Senegal, leaving UST with 15 players.

“My only regret is coming to the season, may anak akong hindi nagsabi ng totoo. Pagdating ng dulo iniwan kami. At itong 15 players na naiwan sa akin, wala akong masasabi sa kanila. Ginagawa nila ‘yong lahat para manalo ang UST, para manalo ang team. But we fell short,” said Jarencio.

“Siguro it’s all about me -- kasalanan ko lahat ‘yan. I take full responsibility. Dahil nga kulang siguro ng preparation tapos may mga bagay na hindi natin ma-control. Basta ang regret ko lang may isa akong anak na iniwan ako. Iyon lang medyo sumama lang loob ko. Hindi nagsabi ng totoo sa akin. That’s it," he added. 

“Ayoko na magsabi. We only had 16 players, 15 lang naglaro sa amin. Ayoko na sabihin just to be fair with him. Basta hindi siya naging fair sa akin, for the team. Kaya kawawa tong mga players ko eh. Pero lumaban naman to."

Without Faye’s reinforcement, UST found itself in a 20-game slide, its longest in school history which it eventually snapped against FEU at the end of the first round.

However, the Growling Tigers continued to struggle and find their form, losing six games in a row before ending the season with a much-needed 57-53 victory over the Tamaraws. 

“From the get-go, medyo naging aggressive kami.  We’re composed all throughout the game. Siyempre meron team na magkakaroon ng run eh. But I give it to the players ‘yong composure andoon at hindi nawalan ng pag-asa,” Jarencio said.

“Siguro enough is enough. Wag na sa talo. this is the time na pwede na namin sigurong makuha 'yong second win namin for the season. Not at least. It’s still a bad season. Two wins in 14 games. Hindi natin pwedeng kumpara ‘yong last year. Basta kami we’re here fighting kaya lang I just full responsibility sa lahat ng nangayari, the losses and everything, disappointment and everything,” he furthered.

Carrying the lessons from their sorry season, UST is set to return to practice not even a week later as it regroups and gears up for its offseason tournaments.

“Alam mo sa basketball timing lang ‘yan. Timing mag-champion ka, makabuo ka ng team na malakas. Timing ‘yong players sa ibang team grumaduate na. Timing ‘yan, process ‘yan eh. Basta kami ‘yong proseso tuluy tuloy lang kami,” he concluded.