AFTER three close losses, Far Eastern University finally managed to see things through, getting on the board in UAAP Season 88 at the expense of Adamson last Wednesday.
At the center of the breakthrough win was 6-foot-10 center Mo Konateh, who yet again commanded the paint en route to 18 points, 20 rebounds, and two blocks - more than enough to claim the Collegiate Press Corps' UAAP Men's Player of the Week plum.
“It feels good for me and it's going to help the team a lot because I need to play like this every game. I have to dig in more, and then I have to push myself over and over to help the team,” he said.
The Gambian big is no stranger to accolades, as he previously bagged a spot in the Season 87 Mythical Team, but even with his sustained dominance in his second season, victories have been hard to come by for the Tamaraws.
Of course, Konateh is the first to acknowledge that narrative has to change.
“Not really,” he answered when asked about individual accolades mattering. “I just play every game to help my team. I'm not playing for Mythical Five or MVP. I'm not.”
Mo' golden opportunities
Though a drop-off was to be expected for the green-and-gold after the ‘Pre-xit,’ it's nonetheless a step in the right direction for them to tick off a win in just four tries - compared to last year when they didn’t win until their sixth game.
That, and considering that two of their three losses were as close as it comes, signaled to Konateh that not only have they improved, but that the championship chase is more wide open this time around.
“I noticed every team can beat every team,” he said. “There's no unbeatable team and we have to get our chance to win. We need more wins to get in the top, and I think we have the chance to get there.”
Konateh and Co. get their next chance to win against defending champion University of the Philippines later today.
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