By: Joaquin Cortez
Collins Akowe made an emphatic return to the University of Santo Tomas lineup, proving his value with a dominant performance as the Growling Tigers kept their Final Four hopes alive in the UAAP Season 89 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Tournament.
After sitting out UST’s previous game to make way for Peter Osang, last season’s Rookie of the Year delivered 16 points on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting clip and nine rebounds to power the Tigers to an 89-84 victory over Ateneo de Manila University on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, officially eliminating the Blue Eagles from Final Four contention.
The Nigerian center was reactivated after being left out of the lineup against the University of the East, where Osang made the most of his opportunity with a 19-point, 10-rebound, and five-block performance in his long-awaited UAAP debut.
Rather than take the lineup adjustment personally, Akowe embraced the coaching staff’s decision, stressing that securing the victory mattered more than who received the minutes.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
“We got a win, so it’s a team effort. It’s Osang or me, whatever. The fact that we got the win, that’s what we had today,” he said.
Osang, a 6-foot-7 center who has been part of the Tigers since 2023, finally made his UAAP debut after falling short in the previous two seasons. He had previously been passed over for the foreign student-athlete spot in favor of Mo Tounkara in Season 87 and Akowe in Season 88.
With Osang finally getting his opportunity, Akowe remained focused on his own role, choosing to let the game unfold naturally rather than force his offense.
“I just let the game come to me. I did not force a shot or anything. I just go with the flow and see what the game brings,” he said.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
The Nigerian big man had struggled to find his offensive rhythm in his previous outings, scoring 11 points against both De La Salle University and National University before managing just eight against Far Eastern University on November 8.
Against Ateneo, however, Akowe rediscovered his touch at a crucial juncture in UST’s campaign, helping the Tigers improve to a 7-6 record and remain in fifth place in the standings.
UST now trails third- and fourth-ranked FEU and La Salle, both carrying 7-5 records, by half a game as the race for the remaining two Final Four spots intensifies.
With NU and the University of the Philippines already securing their Final Four berths at identical 9-3 records, UST assistant coach Peter Martin stressed the importance of treating every remaining assignment as a must-win game.
“At this point, we cannot think about La Salle and FEU. We’re just thinking of ourselves. Every single game is a do-or-die for us,” said Martin.
The Growling Tigers will look to sustain their momentum against already-eliminated Adamson University on November 25 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, where they will also seek revenge for their 85-57 first-round defeat on October 3.
