There was a scary moment in Game One of the UAAP Season 81 Men’s Basketball Finals that drew ire from the passionate University of the Philippines fans in the attendance.
With 6:31 left in the third canto and the Fighting Maroons trailing 44-50, Bright Akhuetie and Angelo Kouame were fighting for position. The 6-foot-10 Kouame tried to blitz past the 6-foot-8 Akhuetie, but instead bumped him, making the UP center stumble. To make matters worse, the Blue Eagle’s left leg caught the Fighting Maroon’s right leg, resulting in an awkward landing and a hyper-extended left knee.
Akhuetie had to be stretchered out of the game. And his exit was followed by jeers from every Isko in attendance and the fury of those online.
“That wasn’t intentional. People can get mad ’cause, yeah, but it wasn’t intentional. I wanted to go up but he was in my way. I didn’t know what really happened,” expressed the 19-year-old rookie.
“I’m really sorry about that.”
As Akhuetie was being brought out, UP skipper Paul Desiderio tried to confront him.
“I didn’t say anything to him. He wanted to fight,” added Kouame. The Ateneo bench tried to separate them after.
Akhuetie was able to return with 7:04 left in the game, but the UP crowd continued to rain boos on Kouame. And it clearly affected him, as the soon-to-be-named Rookie of the Year finished with just seven points and 12 rebounds – down from his norms of 14.74 points.
“I mean, it has an impact on me, especially right now. I really feel that. I never thought it’s gonna happen but this has happened,” lamented Kouame, even if the Ateneo de Manila University won, 88-79.
“I have to accept that and live with that cause it’s my rookie year.”
During the game, the Ivorian student-athlete tried to apologize to the Nigerian but Akhuetie simply shrugged him off.
The young stalwart continued to express his sadness about what happened.
“I apologized to him but he didn’t want it. I get it, I get his irritation, but it’s still basketball. I can’t complain about it,” he shared as he shifts his focus to Game Two.
“I’m really sorry about that if that offended people.”
