After another impressive season with the Nazareth School-NU Bullpups, the big question is where Collins Akowe will be taking his act for college.
With the conclusion of their UAAP Season 87 Boys’ Basketball campaign, the Nazareth School-NU Bullpups will bid farewell to several key players as the likes of Miguel Palanca, Jed Solomon, Mac Alfanta, and Jid Locsin are all set to move up into the collegiate ranks.
However, the Bullpups’ biggest loss to graduation will be Collins Akowe, the dominant Nigerian big man who led Nazareth School to two straight Boys’ Basketball finals appearances since Season 86.
After two impressive seasons in Jhocson, the question now is whether or not the six-foot-ten Akowe will be taking his act to the NU Bulldogs in the UAAP Men’s Basketball Tournament.
While Bulldogs’ head coach Jeff Napa has expressed his intent to elevate Akowe into the seniors’ team, the big man himself isn’t looking too far into the future just yet.
“I’m not committed to anywhere yet, I actually don’t know [where I’ll go]. You know, the game just finished. I guess I’m going to give it like one week or two weeks max before I commit to anywhere,” Akowe said moments after NUNS’ 83-77 loss to UST in Game 3 of the Season 87 Boys’ Basketball finals at the Filoil EcoOil Arena in San Juan last Thursday.
Collins Akowe will wrap up his UAAP high school career as the last foreign student athlete to win a Most Valuable Player plum, and the first-ever recipient of the league’s new Best Foreign Student Athlete award.
The big man is also coming off an impressive finals series against UST, averaging 25 points, 24 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in NSNU’s bid to win its ninth UAAP Boys’ Basketball championship.
“Focus on the future and just learn from the past. That’s all I can say. Don’t let the past haunt you since it’s a lesson learned and not a loss. I won’t take this as a loss, and I’ll take it as a lesson learned,” said Akowe.
Akowe remains grateful for his short, but impactful stay with Nazareth School, even if they fell short of the championship in back-to-back seasons.
“It has been a great privilege being under the community of Nazareth School, I thank the community because they helped me develop my game. I wasn’t like this the first time I came here, so I’d say it has been a great privilege being under this family,” he said.
“The plan was to get a chip, but still, glory be to God. I’ll give thanks to God because by His grace, that’s why we’re here today. So glory be to God, that’s all I can say.”
Images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.