During the San Beda Red Lions’ post-game presser after they had won the NCAA Season 93 Seniors Basketball crown, Robert Bolick — the hero of the back-to-back champions — wrapped his arms around Donald Tankoua.
“I told him last year that he was the best [foreign student-athlete],” Bolick said.
“I’m so happy, because I was not here last year. I really wanted to win it for me, and for my teammates, for the San Beda community,” Tankoua shared after San Beda’s 92-82 title-clinching win.
Over a year ago, August 19, 2016 to be exact, Tankoua’s sophomore campaign was terribly cut short. All of his 6-foot-6 frame crumpled to the floor, as he had torn his right anterior cruciate ligament.
He was reduced to a mere spectator in the Finals, watching the Red Lions devour the Arellano Chiefs in two games.
This time around, he made sure to lift his team just as they had lifted him during his recovery. During the two-game Finals series, the Cameroonian student-athlete became San Beda’s anchor, posting norms of 22.5 points and 18.5 rebounds. And it was rewarded with his first-ever Finals Most Valuable Player honor.
“I want to thank Donald, Donald is always saying, ‘[Mike] Nzeusseu cannot get the rebound, I will box him out’,” recalled Bolick, who finished the Finals MVP race with 72 SPs.
But for the 23-year-old big man, he just wants to make up for lost time.
“Actually I was not thinking about winning the MVP. I just came out and played my game. I truly wanted to win the championship because I was not here last year,” said Tankoua, who tallied 122 SPs.
“That’s it.”
