MO Tounkara made up for lost time, as he returned for University of Santo Tomas in its 79-70 victory vs. Far Eastern University on Sunday.
Coming back from a one-game suspension, the Malian big knew he had to do his part not just to help the Espana crew recover from a three-game losing skid, but also get back to their winning ways, all the more with the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball Final Four chase heating up.
READ: UST fends off hard-charging FEU to keep hold of No. 4 spot
“I just had to make my presence felt to my teammates, make them confident, and play my game. If we’re looking at the Final Four, we have to play like we are a Final Four team,” he said.
Indeed, Tounkara was in his element, scoring 11 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, as well as two assists and two blocks.
But it was his defense which made the difference, being a team-high plus-20 on the floor, while also neutralizing his Tamaraw counterpart Mo Konateh to just four points and seven boards in the contest.
“It’s just defense, secure the paint, get the rebounds, set screens, and stop the other (foreign student-athlete), while getting my teammates open. That’s what the coaches told us,” he stated.
Game-changing presence
And the Growling Tigers’ bench greatly benefitted from it, with them drawing 32 points from their subs, particularly a season-best 13-point performance from Kyle Paranada.
“Our bench was able to help us a lot today and that’s a big reason why we won this game,” he said.
With the 6-foot-8 bruiser’s return re-igniting UST's hopes, Tounkara is confident that things are now looking up for the Growling Tigers, as they keep hold of the fourth seed at 5-6.
“This is just our first win in the second round and we’re focused on this one, so we just want to stay focused for our next one, get our rest, and be ready against NU,” he said.
“For me, I just want to give my best for the next three games. That’s it.”
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