With Finals spot within reach, Akhuetie, UP Maroons ‘have to believe’ they can do it

Bright Akhuetie has so far lived up to the hype that came along with him when he moved to University of the Philippines from University of Perpetual Help.

Akhuetie earned the MVP plum of the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball tournament after leading the Fighting Maroons to a third seed record, 8-6, while averaging 18.9 points, 14.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.

The Fighting Maroons also got their first Final Four nod in 21 years and the big center said he and his teammates aren’t done in their quest to make UP one of the league’s elite.

“Since we made it to the Final Four, I’ve been telling my teammates that it’s not over yet and we simply have to keep pushing to go to the next level,” said Akhuetie Thursday at Epsilon Chi Center in UP Diliman.

“We’re on this level now but we have to work on getting to the next level so we have to go hard in practice.”

Akhuetie already made a name for himself while he was playing with the Altas in the NCAA having won two nods to the Mythical Team of the league and these accolades gave him the hoopla when he made to switch to the UAAP.

He was also able to lead the Altas to the Final Four during his stay with the school.

This alone makes him the most-experience player in the Fighting Maroons roster but Akhuetie said there’s no difference playing in the UAAP and the NCAA and that everything’s basketball, after all, ’s said and done.

“At the end of the day it’s all basketball and we just have to believe in ourselves that we can do it,” said Akhuetie whose Fighting Maroons will have a twice-to-win disadvantage against second seed Adamson University in the semifinals.

“If we believe in ourselves when we go out there and perform as a team, then trust me we will.”