So far, the arrival of Bright Akhuetie has paid massive dividends for the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.
Touted as a dominant force from his days with the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA in the NCAA, the Nigerian student-cager’s presence has assured the Fighting Maroons of a much-needed game changer on both ends of the floor in the UAAP Season 81 Men’s Basketball Tournament.
One thing is left on their to-do list, though, and that’s to end a 21-year Final Four drought. UP are still engaged in a dogfight with two other teams for a semifinals seat, and on Saturday, the six-foot-eight big man took it upon himself to make sure that they would move to the cusp of reaching that goal.
A monster 25-point, 18-rebound double-double by this year’s frontrunner for the Most Valuable Player award seemed to do the trick for the Fighting Maroons as they finished with a flurry to kick the University of Santo Tomas out of contention, 83-69.
Akhuetie – who had already managed 12 points and 12 rebounds against an undersized Growling Tigers lineup after three quarters – doubled his scoring tally in the payoff period by pouring in 13 points, just two shy of UST’s output as a team during that stretch.
His outstanding performance has rightfully earned him the Chooks-to-Go Collegiate Sports Press Corps UAAP Player of the Week award.
This citation may seem long overdue for Akhuetie, whose stellar play throughout the season has not gone unnoticed. In 13 games, he’s put up prolific averages of 19.1 points, 14.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks, while shooting a blistering 60.7 percent from the field.
He bested Far Eastern University Tamaraws Arvin Tolentino and Kenneth Tuffin; National University Bulldog John Lloyd Clemente; Ateneo Blue Eagle Thirdy Ravena; and Adamson Soaring Falcon Sean Manganti to nab the weekly feat given by online and print writers covering the beat.
