WITH UAAP Season 88 continuing the trend of playing foreign student-athletes in juniors basketball, Ateneo unholstered what's turning out to be the most lethal weapon yet.
Posting 21.8 points, 17 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks, Jude Eriobu has been the driving force in the Blue Eagles' return to relevance, as they find themselves as contenders for the first time since the days of Kai Sotto.
After being recruited from Kaduna State, Nigeria, the 6-foot-10 big made the tough decision of leaving home to pursue his dreams of playing against better competition.
“Me playing for Ateneo is a great experience and a good decision. It's been a fun experience playing for the school and my teammates,” he told SPIN.ph.
In just his first year in Katipunan, Eriobu has proven to be a force to be reckoned with, even drawing comparisons to past NU-Nazareth School and present University of Santo Tomas dynamo Collins Akowe.
In fact, it was the 17 year old that registered the most dominant double-double in UAAP juniors history with 27 points and 27 rebounds during their first round triumph over Adamson.
And he's been doing it all while wearing No. 34 - you know, the number Ateneo fans have fond memories of, as it once belonged to one Ange Kouame.
But as Eriobu clarifies, the jersey number isn’t necessarily because of the former champion and MVP Blue Eagle from Ivory Coast. Rather, it's a tribute to his favorite player and another freak of nature, NBA champion and MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“It's written in the air. He is my favorite player, I am inspired by his dominance,” he detailed.
Hey, Jude, don't be afraid
With the rookie center just scratching the surface of his potential, quickly finding comfort and translating his game to the fast and physical brand of Philippine basketball is most definitely an adjustment that isn't coming easy.
But for him, nothing he will face here will compare to the adversity he faced back home, saying, "It's the pressure I'm used to back home, so it's nothing new.”
Eriobu is set to have one more playing year in the juniors before being eligible for the collegiate ranks. And while there is no confirmation yet on if he will stay with the blue-and-white, his performance has certainly caught the attention of not just Ateneo.
What is certain, though, is that adding him to Tab Baldwin's young core of Jared Bahay, Waki Espina, and Shawn Tuano will be a sight to see.
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