All news tagged CollinsAkowe

The University of Santo Tomas punched its ticket to the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball Final Four after outlasting National University, 80–71, on Sunday, November 23, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Needing a win to avoid complications in the standings, the Growling Tigers delivered when it mattered most. UST drained four timely three-pointers in the fourth quarter to break away from the Bulldogs and secure the No. 3 seed heading into the playoffs. The victory improved UST’s record to 8–5, marking the program’s return to postseason contention.

Gelo Crisostomo led the España squad with 13 points and five rebounds, while Mark Llemit and Amiel Acido chipped in 11 markers each. Collins Akowe added a steady double-double performance of 11 points and 11 rebounds to anchor the Tigers on both ends.

UST is set to wrap up the elimination round against Far Eastern University on Wednesday, though the result will no longer affect their Final Four placement.

For NU, Omar John posted 12 points and 11 boards, but the Bulldogs closed the eliminations with an 11–3 record and will regroup as they enter the next phase of the tournament.

With momentum on their side, the Growling Tigers move into the semifinals eager to continue their postseason resurgence.

Returning to his old home at the Blue Eagle Gym, Forthsky Padrigao made sure his emotions wouldn’t get in the way of business. 

The University of Santo Tomas guard showed poise and maturity in leading the Growling Tigers to a hard-earned 98–89 triple-overtime win over the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Facing his former school for the first time since transferring, Padrigao approached the game with calm determination. “I just needed to do my job and role with the team. Nothing personal for me. I treated this game as a regular game. I didn’t do anything special coming into the game,” said the UST guard, who previously played two seasons with Ateneo and captured a UAAP title in Season 85.

Despite the emotional backdrop, Padrigao was met with respect rather than hostility. “I wasn’t expecting any boos. I have good friends here in Ateneo. They watched, they even asked for tickets from me,” he shared.

It was a dream debut for Collins Akowe and a perfect opening statement for host school University of Santo Tomas.

The rookie sensation powered the Growling Tigers to a stunning 87-67 rout of defending champion University of the Philippines in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball opener on Sunday, September 20, instantly reshaping the league’s title picture.

Akowe, a prized recruit from the National University Bullpups, imposed his will on both ends of the floor, finishing with a monster double-double of 29 points and 17 rebounds. His dominance in the paint anchored UST’s charge, as the España-based squad set the tone early and never looked back.

With the Growling Tigers’ suffocating defense complementing Akowe’s inside presence, the Fighting Maroons were kept on their heels all game long, unable to find their rhythm in their first step toward a title defense.

The convincing victory not only gave UST a massive morale boost but also signaled that the once-struggling program is determined to contend this season.

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.