Collins Akowe named UAAP juniors basketball MVP

NU Bullpups’ Collins Akowe is the UAAP juniors’ basketball MVP. –UAAP PHOTO

National University Nazareth School’s Collins Akowe was named the UAAP juniors basketball tournament Most Valuable Player on Wednesday.

For the straight season, the league MVP came from the Bullpups after Reinhard Jumamoy won the award last season.

The 6-foot-10 Cameroonian big man, who was awarded before Game 3 of the Finals, is also the first foreign student-athlete to win the top individual award in the high school division.

Akowe tallied a whopping 96.714 statistical points (SP) after averages of 17.14 points, 21.07 rebounds, 2.21 blocks, and 1.64 assists per game in the elimination round.

READ: NU routs defending champ FEU; Kieffer Alas dominates in UAAP juniors

“I promised my coach I would give him the championship. I made that promise from the very beginning,” said Akowe, whose wards try to bounce back against Adamson in the Finals after losing Game 1 77-71. “I need to fulfill my promise. I need to give it all I have to win the championship.”

Mythical Five

UAAP Season 86 juniors basketball Mythical Five. –UAAP PHOTO

Joining Akowe in the Mythical Team are De La Salle Zobel’s Kieffer Alas (89.727 SP), Ateneo’s Kristian Porter (85.786), University of Santo Tomas’ Doy Dungo (81.286), and Adamson’s Tebol Garcia (72.385).

Kieffer, son of multi-titled coach Louie Alas and younger brother of PBA player Kevin,  put up averages of 20.36 points, 10.82 rebounds, 5.27 assists, and 1.27 steals in 11 games played.

READ: FEU-D sweeps Adamson to take UAAP Season 85 juniors basketball crown

Porter, who made his second consecutive mythical team appearance for Ateneo, logged averages of 17.86 points, 15.79 rebounds, 2.14 steals, and 1.71 assists per game while averaged 14.86 points, 8.07 rebounds, 4.36 assists, and 2.79 steals in his sole year at UST.

Meanwjile, Garcia normed 12.92 points, 5.23 assists, 3.08 rebounds, and 1.92 steals to become the first Baby Falcon to make it to the all-UAAP team since former league MVP Jake Figueroa in Season 82.

University of the Philippines Integrated School’s Nathan Egea was awarded the Rookie of the Year with 58.500 SPs, coming from his averages of 10.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.