UST Dominates Defending Champion UP with Akowe's Stellar Double-Double in UAAP Season 88 Opener

MANILA, Philippines – The University of Santo Tomas (UST) showcased a commanding performance to open the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball tournament, decisively defeating the defending champions, the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, by a 20-point margin, 87-67, on Sunday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

Key to UST's triumph was rookie foreign student-athlete Collins Akowe, who put up a remarkable 29 points and 17 rebounds, marking one of the most impressive debuts in UAAP history. The 6-foot-10 Nigerian center efficiently scored 9-of-15 from the field and converted 11-of-21 free throws, firmly establishing dominance in the paint throughout the game.

Speaking after the match, Akowe expressed his motivation, stating, "It’s a great feeling, just taking advantage of our crowd. I just do what I got to do. I’m representing UST, I have it to take it upon myself, they’re taking care of me so this is the way I can pay them back."

In addition to Akowe’s standout performance, sharpshooter Kyle Paranada delivered 18 points, stepping up significantly in the absence of suspended star Forthsky Padrigao. Paranada was particularly effective in the first half, scoring 14 of his points early to help UST build a comfortable 57-43 halftime lead.

The Fighting Maroons mounted a brief resurgence in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to seven points at 58-51, but were unable to sustain the momentum as UST pulled away in the final frame. This win snapped a nine-game losing streak for UST against UP, dating back to 2019 when UST last defeated UP in Season 82.

UST captain Nic Cabañero contributed 9 points and 5 rebounds, while teammates Gelo Crisostomo and rookie Koji Buenaflor added 8 and 7 points, respectively.

On the UP side, Mark Belmonte led the scoring with 12 points, closely followed by Harold Alarcon and Jacob Bayla, who both finished with 11 points. Notably, UST's defense contained UP's Rey Remogat, a former UE standout and Season 86 Mythical Five member, limiting him to just 5 points on 2-of-6 shooting in under 10 minutes of play.

Final Scores:

UST – Akowe 29, Paranada 18, Cabañero 9, Crisostomo 8, Buenaflor 7, Calum 4, Llemit 3, Estacio 3, Acido 2, Laure 2, Sevilla 2, Bangco 0, Manding 0, Bucsit 0, Danting 0.

UP – Belmonte 12, Alarcon 11, Bayla 11, Bayla 6, Torres 6, Nnoruka 5, Fortea 4, Felicilda 4, Abadiano 2, Alter 2, Palanca 2, Briones 2, Stevens 0.

Quarter Scores: 31-19, 57-43, 70-57, 87-67.