Collins Akowe commits to UST, bolsters Tigers for Season 88

The University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers just made one of the biggest offseason moves in UAAP Men’s Basketball by securing the commitment of Collins Akowe, one of the most dominant big men in the UAAP high school ranks.

The 6-foot-10 Nigerian standout from National University-Nazareth School (NU-NS) officially joins UST after weeks of negotiation with head coach Pido Jarencio and team managers Waiyip Chong and Eric Ang.

Akowe will be eligible to play for the Tigers starting UAAP Season 88 and has a full five-year window to compete in the league.

He made headlines in UAAP Season 87, powering the NU Bullpups with averages of 20.9 points, 19.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game.

While his statistical dominance was undeniable, league rules prevented him from repeating as MVP due to restrictions on foreign student-athletes. Instead, he was honored as the Best Foreign Student-Athlete after also winning the Season 86 MVP award.

Akowe now joins a reloaded UST lineup that already features key players like Nic Cabañero, Forthsky Padrigao, and fellow new recruits Koji Buenaflor, Charles Bucsit, Kristian Porter, and James Jumao-as. 

Akowe’s commitment highlights an aggressive offseason for the Growling Tigers, who are looking to capitalize on their Season 87 breakthrough, where they finished third in the eliminations before falling to eventual champions UP Fighting Maroons in the semifinals.

His commitment is not just a win for UST—it is a signal to the rest of the league that the Growling Tigers are serious about building a championship-caliber team.