IT'S always a challenge for Soulemane Chabi Yo whenever he finds Bright Akhuetie across the court.
And it's no different on Sunday when University of Santo Tomas met University of the Philippines in the UAAP Season 82 men's basketball stepladder semis.
Chabi Yo, this season's MVP, posted 17 points, 15 rebounds, four steals, and two assists, against last year's MVP Akhuetie, who himself got a double-double of 19 points and 18 boards.
"It was a tough matchup," the 6-foot-6 Beninese high-flyer said, standing his ground against his 6-foot-8 Nigerian counterpart.
Through three games this season, the two foreign players have done their part in being the rock for their respective teams and negating each other's presence with Chabi Yo averaging 16.3 points, 14.3 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 1.6 steals, and 1.3 assists, while Akhuetie nabbing 16.0 points, 16.3 boards, and 2.6 dimes.
But as balanced as their numbers were, it's always Chabi Yo who gets the last laugh with UST owning UP this year, 3-0.

The latest was on Sunday, when the Growling Tigers took an 89-69 rout to force their series against the Fighting Maroons to a do-or-die.
It's certainly a huge confidence booster for UST heading to this knockout affair against UP on Wednesday. Yet Chabi Yo knows that he, same with the rest of the Growling Tigers, couldn't veer away from what has worked for his side so far this season.
"I just tried to play my best and follow the system of coach Aldin," he said. "We just tried to go back to the basics -- play good defense, follow the instruction of the coach, follow the system, and then make sure we are connected, all the players and the coaches."
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