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Collins Akowe, the UAAP Season 86 boys’ MVP and Season 87 boys’ Best Foreign Student-Athlete, joins the Tigers with a full five-year eligibility in the UAAP
MANILA, Philippines – UST gets the foreign student-athlete (FSA) of its future.
Collins Akowe, the UAAP Season 87 boys’ Best Foreign Student-Athlete for the NU Bullpups, has joined the UST Growling Tigers, the team announced on Monday, June 23.
Akowe, who also earned the Season 86 boys’ MVP nod, committed to the Tigers after weeks of negotiations with UST’s coaching staff led by head coach Pido Jarencio and team managers Waiyip Chong and Eric Ang, sources told Rappler.
He is the newest addition to UST’s reinforcement pool, which features Peter Osang, who has been the team’s primary FSA in preseason tournaments, newly-recruited Joseph Kumbai, and former Tiger Cubs’ Racine Kane, who is dealing with an ACL injury.
Just like last season when the Tigers chose between Osang and Mo Tounkara, UST’s FSA spot will likely again be a toss-up between the 6-foot-8 Osang and Akowe.
Akowe joins the Tigers with a full five-year eligibility in the UAAP starting Season 88.
He chose among numerous UAAP teams, including NU, but eventually chose UST, whose big men rotation has been thin in preseason showcases.
Measuring at 6-foot-10 with a bruising frame, Akowe dominated UAAP’s high school ranks, averaging 20.94 points, 19.28 rebounds, 2.56 assists, and 1.96 blocks in Season 87 for the Bullpups.
Despite his numbers, Akowe was denied of back-to-back MVP plums as the league barred foreign student-athletes from winning the league’s top individual award, creating a separate award called the Best Foreign Student-Athlete (FSA).
Akowe is the latest young player snagged by the Tigers in what has been a busy offseason following the commitments of former high school standouts Koji Buenaflor, Charles Bucsit, Kristian Porter, and James Jumao-as.
He adds depth to UST’s frontcourt featuring locals Buenaflor, Gelo Crisostomo, and Echo Laure.
The Tigers had a breakthrough campaign in Season 87 after finishing third in the eliminations before losing to the eventual UAAP champions UP Fighting Maroons in the Final Four. – Rappler.com
