Ni: Marivic Awitan
MULA sa mababang performance sa kanyang debut sa Ateneo, unti-unti nang napapansin ang husay ni Blue Eagles center Chibueze Ikeh. At sa kasalukuyang UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball tournament, ang 6-foot-7 import ang dahilan sa matikas na 6-0 marka ng Katipunan-based cagers.
Nasa kanyang ikatlong season, determinado si Ikeh na matulungan ang koponan na makarating sa Finals, at sa bawat laro tunay na malaki ang kanyang naiaambag dahilan para mapili siya ng mga miyembro ng UAAP Press Corp bilang Chooks-to-Go Player of the Week.
Goodbye PBA? John Amores, tinanggalan na ng professional license!
Naungusan ni Ikeh sa parangal sina Adamson’ slotman Papi Sarr at ang magkasanggang sina Ron Dennison at Arvin Tolentino ng Far Eastern University.
Nagtala si Ikeh ng averaged 12.5 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, at 1.5 bpg sa nakaraang dalawa laro.
Kontra University of Santo Tomas nitong Miyerkules, nagposte siya ng pitong puntos, 11 rebounds, tatlong assists at dalawang steals para pangunahan ang 94-84 panalo.
Tatlong araw kasunod nito, umiskor naman si Ikeh ng career-high 18 puntos at 11 rebounds at dalawang blocks sa kanilang 96-83 panalo kontra National University.
Nagpakita rin siya ng panibagong dagdag sa kanyang laro nang pumukol ng dalawang three-point shots kontra NU.
“Coaches have been teaching me other facets of the game such as shooting, dribbling. I just found myself open and I just had to shoot it and went in,” pahayag ni Ikeh.
“I’m not feeling any pressure. It’s just a game. If I miss, that’s okay. Coaches are teaching me every aspect of the game and that’s giving me the confidence I need,” aniya.
Hindi naman nasopresa ang Ateneo coaching staff, sa pangunguna ni coach Tab Baldwin sa ipinakikita ni Ikeh.
“We weren’t surprised. The coaches have been giving him (Ikeh) the green light to shoot if he has a good rhythm to shoot it,” ayon kay assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga.
