UE Purple Warriors’ Valuable Momowei throughout a UAAP Season 87 males’s basketball sport in opposition to Ateneo Blue Eagles. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIREr.internet
College of the East (UE) was beneath the radar for your complete UAAP preseason up till two video games into the Season 87 males’s basketball event.
Not anymore.
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After back-to-back lopsided losses to College of Santo Tomas and College of the Philippines to start out the season, it could appear a marvel for everybody the place the Purple Warriors are drawing gasoline for his or her sudden change of tempo.
Not Jack Santiago.
“Valuable [Momowei], who we all know is the center and soul of the staff,” the UE coach advised a pair of reporters beforehand.
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And boy, did Momowei present why.
He performed nonstop for 40 minutes to energy UE previous Ateneo on late Wednesday night time, 69-62. The reedy heart refused to buckle beneath the burden of a 10-point deficit to the Blue Eagles and as a substitute dropped 18 factors and 15 rebounds to spearhead the comeback win.
That was the fourth straight win for UE because it continues to experience a run highlighted by a shock victory over defending champion La Salle and Wednesday’s conquer Ateneo, the Warriors’ first in opposition to the Eagles since Season 78.
New daybreak, anybody?
“We’ve all had this perception ever for the reason that begin of this season. Our No. 1 objective is making the Ultimate 4. No matter it takes. We simply need to be constant and play as a staff,” Momowei, who credited his teammates’ contributions, stated as UE continues to take the league by storm.
Soul evident
“We had an excellent win, however I really feel like on the finish of the day, this can be a staff sport. We’re all like one large household. Ethan [Galang] was injured, so everybody tonight stepped up. I really feel like that’s what we did tonight. I’m simply pleased that we bought the win on the finish of the day,” he stated.
Momowei’s soul has been evident thus far for the Warriors. He might not at all times have been a scoring menace however his presence is constantly felt in pulling free balls, win or lose. He hasn’t completed a sport with single-digit rebounds.
The Nigerian large man means enterprise as he helps UE obtain its objective of returning to the Ultimate 4 this season—“no matter it takes.”
“That is my job. That is what I do for a dwelling, so I’m able to play 100 minutes, 40 minutes. I’m simply able to die on the market. That is what I signed up for, so yeah, I’m prepared for the problem, no matter it takes,” he stated.
The subsequent 40 minutes can be essential once more as UE checks its newfound mettle in opposition to one other squad that has its eyes on a Ultimate 4 seat in Adamson to wrap up its first-round assignments.
“Our previous couple of video games are very essential for us, even for the opposite groups as a result of apart from having an excellent standing … I think about this [a chance to improve] our positioning,” Santiago stated. “As a lot as attainable we need to break free already.”
“[We’ll] benefit from the victory [on Wednesday night] however tomorrow we return to actuality. Realizing [the Soaring Falcons], they performed effectively their previous few video games, they’ve an extended relaxation so for certain, they’re gonna put together for us this coming Sunday. So we are going to simply do our jobs and hopefully additionally get one over Adamson,” Santiago added.
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