Cameroonian Collins Akowe grabs MVP award in UAAP Season 86 boys’ basketball
COLLINS AKOWE has been crowned as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 boys’ basketball tournament to make it a back-to-back feat for National University-Nazareth School (NUNS).
Following the footsteps of now Bulldog Reinhard Jumamoy, the Cameroonian big man proved to be head and shoulders above his high school peers by running away with a whopping 96.7 statistical points for the Bullpups.
The 6-foot-10 ace normed a monstrous double-double averages of 17.14 points and 21.07 rebounds laced by 2.21 blocks and 1.64 assists to become the first foreign student-athlete to win MVP in UAAP juniors basketball history. “I promised my coach I would give him the championship. I made that promise from the very beginning,” said Mr. Akowe, a Grade 11 center. “I need to fulfill my promise. I need to give it all I have to win the championship.”
Mr. Akowe dropped 26 points and 11 rebounds in Game 1 of the ongoing finals but NUNS fell short against Adamson University, 77-71. Game Two is being played as of press time.
Joining Mr. Akowe in the Mythical Team were De La Salle Zobel’s Kieffer Alas (89.727 SP), Ateneo de Manila University High School’s Kristian Porter (85.786), University of Santo Tomas’ Doy Dungo (81.286) and Adamson’s Tebol Garcia (72.385).
University of the Philippines Integrated School’s Nathan Egea was named Rookie of the Year with 58.500 SPs behind averages of 10.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game. — John Bryan Ulanday