We finalize our initial rankings of UAAP Season 87’s foreign student athletes after one round’s worth of games.
After one round of UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball, we have gotten a solid view of how our foreign student athletes (FSAs) have impacted their respective teams. Some have fit nicely, while others leave a lot to be desired heading into Round 2.
With that in mind, here are our final first-half rankings for the UAAP Season 87 FSAs as the men’s basketball tournament reaches its halfway point.
7. Ayodeji Balogun (Ateneo)
Previous rank: 7th
Not much has changed as Balogun remains limited in Ateneo, with Tab Baldwin continuing to use his all-Filipino frontcourt rotation. Consequently, this has left Ateneo struggling to impose themselves down low, which adds to their points for improvement for Season 87.
After seven games, Balogun is averaging 3.29 points and 3.57 rebounds in about 10 minutes and 30 seconds of game time coming off the Blue Eagles’ bench.
6. Dikachi Ududo (UP)
Previous rank: 5th
Ududo is yet to find his place in UP’s frontcourt rotation led by Quentin Millora-Brown and Francis Lopez. Also coming off the bench, Ududo is only averaging 4.29 points and 3.29 rebounds in about nine and a half minutes of play.
Within his limited minutes, though, Ududo has shown finesse in his moves and has grabbed a number of offensive boards in some of UP’s earlier games. Now it remains to be seen whether or not Ududo will have a defined role within his team’s loaded frontline for Round 2.
5. Henry Agunanne (La Salle)
Previous rank: 6th
The growing pains continue for Henry Agunnane as he gets used to the UAAP’s level of play and basketball smarts. Still, he’s had fairly productive outings against UE, FEU, and UST which bumped up his Round 1 averages to 5.86 points and 6.43 rebounds in 15 minutes and 42 seconds played per game.
We’ll be giving Agunanne the fifth spot for now due to a better Round 1 conclusion. Hopefully, that allows him to find his groove, especially if he retains his starting role for Round 2. The final seven games won’t be any easier, and he must step up to alleviate some pressure off Mike Phillips’ back.
4. OJ Ojarikre (Adamson)
Previous rank: 4th
Adamson’s Ojarikre continues to be the Falcons’ defensive anchor, as seen by his league-high 2.71 blocks per game after the first round, and a single-game record of seven blocks against the UE Red Warriors.
Ojarikre is also averaging 8.86 rebounds which includes 2.86 offensive boards per contest. As his niche lies on the defensive end, the big man is only averaging 3.57 points after seven games for the Falcons.
All in all, Ojarikre is a serviceable big for Nash Racela’s Falcons and has settled into his role as a defensive anchor despite a limited offensive arsenal.
3. Mo Konateh (FEU)
Previous rank: 3rd
Gambian Mo Konateh has established himself as a high-level rebounder with his motor and instinct for FEU. Konateh finished Round 1 with a league-high 16.14 rebounds per game and recorded Season 87’s single-game high of 25 boards which was set against La Salle last September 25.
The 19-year-old is also the league’s top offensive rebounder, averaging 5.29 boards to give invaluable second chances for the Tams’ offense. Konateh’s scoring isn’t too bad either, averaging 9.0 points alongside his exceptional rebounding numbers.
Without a doubt, Konateh will be a vital piece in FEU’s long-term future. If he’s already impactful as a rookie, then what more when he and the rest of FEU become a season or two wiser than today?
2. Mo Tounkara (UST)
Previous rank: 2nd
After one round, Tounkara is the Tigers’ leading scorer, averaging 14.0 points built on an efficient 52.83 percent field goal percentage. The Mali native has also gone 4 out of 12 from three-point land, on top of the countless mid-range shots he’s knocked down for the Tigers.
Tounkara is also averaging 8.57 rebounds per game in 28 minutes played, which was headlined by his career-high 14 rebounds against Konateh and FEU. We’ll likely see this figure increase by Round 2 if Tounkara decides to assert himself further on the inside.
There’s a strong argument that Tounkara is Season 87’s top FSA early on, given his impact to UST’s 4-3 first-round record. But for now, we’ll be placing him at second, due to his off games against La Salle and Adamson.
Foul troubles and a struggle against La Salle’s frontcourt limited Tounkara against the Archers, while he was effectively neutralized against Adamson early into the season.
But make no mistake, the sky’s the limit for the Malian, who brings a playing style that hasn’t been seen for quite some time among UAAP FSAs.
1. Precious Momowei (UE)
Previous rank: 1st
It took some time to find his offensive rhythm, but Momowei compensated by pulling down rebounds for his precious UE side. Prior to facing Ateneo and Adamson, the sophomore FSA averaged 13.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks on top of his 9.8 points to prove his worth despite a scoring slump.
And this is the reason why Momowei is taking our top spot among UAAP Season 87 FSAs after one round. Simply put, he’s found ways to remain impactful in UE’s resurgence, turning to his other strengths to help the Red Warriors’ winning cause.
Momowei went on to have solid performances against Ateneo and Adamson to end the first round, which included his 40-minute effort against the Eagles to finish with an 18-point and 15-rebound stat line in a comeback win.
The Nigerian ended the first round averaging a team-high 11.57 points, 13.57 rebounds, and one block in a league-high 34:39 minutes played per game. Momowei is also averaging 3.0 offensive rebounds per contest, good for the top five after Round 1.
What do you think? Which UAAP Season 87 FSAs have stood out the most after one round of play?
Banner image courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.