Olayemi Raheem is having a dream sophomore season for the University of the Philippines.
The Nigerian opposite spiker opened the UAAP Season 88 collegiate men’s volleyball tournament with back-to-back 30-point performances before adding 29 points on Wednesday.
More importantly, Raheem has led the Fighting Maroons to a 2-1 record, with their most recent triumph a 25-23, 25-19, 21-25, 25-22 victory over the De La Salle Green Spikers on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
For Raheem, the motivation came from the heartbreak of Season 87, where he realized that sheer power alone was not enough.
Determined to reinvent himself, Raheem has been on fire to start the season, tallying 89 points in three games. But for him, individual numbers are not the ultimate goal.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“As an individual, I felt like I really needed to improve myself constantly and perform at a high level, so from Season 87, I looked at my lapses, and then I went back to the lab,” said Raheem, the UP captain.
“Here I am, still working on it because I’m still not perfect in some areas, so I’m still in the process, actually. It’s not yet finished, but I’m on my way. I’m still learning, but I’m happy with the output I am having right now.”
Raheem also expressed gratitude to his teammates, noting that despite his scoring barrages, support was always there.
Tommy Castrodes and Milven Francisco have been the most consistent so far, while Angelo Lipata, Abram Robles, and Zairus Pacure had their moments.
“I’m so happy because it’s a team sport, right? It’s not a one-man job, so we took our own responsibilities, and I’m happy my teammates are there,” said Raheem.
Raheem and UP, now tied for second with National University and University of Santo Tomas, will look to continue their winning ways on Saturday when they face the five-time defending champion.
#WATCH: I’M STILL IN THE PROCESS ✊
Despite his stellar outings so far in #UAAPSeason88, UP’s Olayemi Raheem believes he still has a lot to improve on#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/OfTu0wn8RB
📹 @justinvalencia_ /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/UV4GRofgUh
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) February 25, 2026
