University of Santo Tomas super rookie Collins Akowe isn’t looking at next Sunday’s rematch with his former high school, National University, as a chance for personal revenge.
Instead, the 19-year-old center is focusing on staying calm and grounded as the Growling Tigers aim to solidify their Final Four hopes in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Akowe struggled in the first-round clash last October 1, scoring a season-low five points on 1-of-7 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds in a 69-76 loss to the Bulldogs.
It would have been easy for him to treat the rematch as a personal shot at redemption.
But the Nigerian big man is taking a different approach.
After dominating the Ateneo Blue Eagles with 15 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocks in a crucial 67-59 win at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, Akowe stressed that his focus is on UST’s collective success rather than individual accolades.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“I think I learned a lot, man. I learned about perseverance, unity, and not giving up,” Akowe told Tiebreaker Times. “That will be critical in the final stretch of the tournament, which will dictate our Final Four hopes. It’s not about trying to bounce back against my former school or any other team.
“I’m just going to come out and play basketball for UST, for my guys.”
Akowe emphasized that mental preparation is just as important as physical readiness.
The 6-foot-10 center is determined to maintain a healthy mindset to tackle the Bulldogs’ formidable frontline, featuring Omar John, PJ Palacielo, and MVP favorite Jake Figueroa.
“I need to get my mind right. I need to take care of my mental health and recover. Right now, I’m just focusing on myself, because if I’m not healthy, I won’t be able to help my team. I have to focus on myself to help my team win,” he said.
With back-to-back wins over the UE Red Warriors and Ateneo, Akowe has regained confidence, recognizing that his impact won’t always show up on the stat sheet but can be felt in leading UST past tough opponents.
“I don’t really care about my personal performance. I just want to win,” Akowe stressed.
“These wins give us momentum, and we need to set the pace going into our game against NU. It’s not going to be easy.”
