trisk
Aug 24, 2007, 09:12 PM
Another Ekwe in the making
By Peter Atencio
ANOTHER Nigerian, another Sam Ekwe in the making?
With the success of Ekwe as an immovable force for the San Beda College in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Red Lions have taken another promising cager from Nigeria in Kevin Emeka Udo, in the hopes of turning him into another scoring and rebounding monster.
Kevin, who is currently seeing action in the Fr. Martin’s Cup Division II as a member of San Beda’s Team B, is starting to make waves as a varsity rookie, scoring 12 points and hauling down 15 rebounds when San Beda-B dumped University of the Philippines, 93-72, at the St. Placid Gym in Mendiola recently.
The victory shoved San Beda-B in the early lead with Arellano University and La Consolacion College. Eighteen teams are entered in the senior division while 12 are in the junior side.
With his impressive debut, the 18-year-old Kevin may be on his way to starting a serious basketball career in the country.
And if he continues to improve, Kevin may find himself playing alongside fellow Nigerian Ekwe, San Beda’s 6’8” banger and a key player in the Red Lions’ title-retention bid in the NCAA.
“Medyo masama ang simula namin sa Fr. Martin. They were very jittery and excited about their first game. We were ahead by 30 points, pero medyo nakahabol ang kalaban. They were rushing on defense,” said Team B coach JB Sison of their first victory.
Sison said the Red Lions still managed to fend off the Maroons’ repeated rallies with Kevin taking charge with the offensive boards.
“Most of his points came from offensive rebounds,” Sison said of Kevin. “They [Maroons] were intimidated with his presence.”
Kevin’s mettle will again be tested when San Beda-B battles the PATTS School of Aeronautics on Saturday.
Learning from his brothers
Kevin comes from a big family of seven brothers and two sisters.
His eldest brother Mike, 26, is a 7-footer, who is currently playing as an import in Bahrain. He considers Mike as his biggest influence in his budding career in basketball.
Kevin has another brother, Federly, who’s been playing pro soccer for a club team in Singapore for the last seven years.
But Kevin said he does not excel in soccer, “because I am awkward in football.”
When Federly asked him to stay with him in Singapore, Kevin said he never had the opportunity to play in a tournament there since there are no established basketball leagues in that city-state.
“It’s all been pick-up games just to keep my game going. Singapore is not a basketball-playing country. They don’t have a league,” Kevin said. “The only basketball they have there is strictly for the locals, foreigners are not allowed to join.”
Kevin also said he didn’t have a chance to study in Singapore, but he did manage to land a job as a part-time assistant coach for grade school kids.
Kevin said it was easy and natural for him to play the game of basketball ever since Mike taught him the basics of the game.
“I was very young when my brother started playing pro. He played professional basketball when he was only 19 years old,” said Kevin.
Mike tirelessly taught Kevin the game during the holidays and the off-season, instilling in his younger brother the passion for the game.
The Udo siblings were also influenced by their father, Mike Sr., who was a boxer during his younger days. The elder Udo taught the kids to play a lot of games which helped them develop their athletic skills.
Kevin and his OFW friends
In Singapore, some migrant workers usually play a game of pick-up basketball after office hours. The Pinoys play the game with their Singaporean friends and other expatriates they come across just to keep fit and have some fun.
One day, Kevin had a courtside conversation with two Filipinos after his club team engaged a group of Pinoy expats, who work for an oil company to a basketball game.
One of the migrant workers, a certain Nick Sonario, expressed admiration for Kevin’s court savvy and skills in basketball.
During their conversation, Sonario convinced Kevin to go to the Philipines and get help to further develop his playing skills.
Kevin later decided to heed Sonario’s advice. He packed his bags and tagged along Sonario when the Filipino went home for a vacation last June.
From Sonario, Kevin learned that the Philippines has probably the best basketball programs in Southeast Asia, and maybe as good as China’s.
“He explained to me how the basketball programs work here. And I believed him,” Kevin said.
Kevin was actually thinking of studying in the United States, but he doubted if his basketball skills are good enough to be noticed in the highly competitive basketball scene in the US.
From Nigeria to the Philippines
Upon arrival in the country, Sonario immediately went to work and contacted the schools on behalf of his friend Kevin. Of the five schools Sonario talked to, Ateneo showed interest, and so did San Beda.
Believing that Kevin will get the better deal in San Beda, which already had Ekwe on its fold, Sonario got Kevin to report to the Mendiola campus and join the practices during the last week of June. By then, the 70th NCAA season has already started.
On his first month with the Red Lions, Kevin was allowed by team manager Mike Advani to join the afternoon practices of Team A with Frankie Lim calling the shots.
Earlier this month, Sison took him as a member of the school’s Team B, which was formed only three weeks ago and had since won two out of four tuneup games with Kevin around.
But it took some time before Kevin was able to adjust to his teammates, but with Ekwe around, Kevin slowly became comfortable with his Filipino teammates.
“He’s been like a brother to me, maybe because he’s the only other Nigerian in school. We have this connection that’s so natural. It’s a very good relationship,” said Kevin, who never misses watching a San Beda game in the NCAA.
Going up to Team A
San Beda College will miss only one player next season when Yousif Aljamal, one of its key players, graduates next year. Aljamal was picked by the Coca-Cola Tigers during the recent Philippine Basketball Association rookie draft.
Aljamal’s replacement will naturally come from Team B, and it will all depend on coach Sison, who he will recommend to fill up the vacant slot in San Beda’s regular lineup.
“Hopefully, he [Kevin] will be in Team A kung mate-train namin siya. Nagsisimula pa lang naman ang training,” said Sison, a former Red Cub, who was part of the junior champion team that won titles from 1994 to 1997.
Sison said Kevin is one of four candidates, who will be elevated to Team A, the three others are Philippine Christian University recruits Jake Pascual and Aaron Anacta,
But if he trains and works hard, Kevin might get that sweet spot in Team A, where he and Ekwe can complete the Nigerian connection in San Beda and make it truly a team to beat in the NCAA.
* http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=sports6_aug23_2007
By Peter Atencio
ANOTHER Nigerian, another Sam Ekwe in the making?
With the success of Ekwe as an immovable force for the San Beda College in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Red Lions have taken another promising cager from Nigeria in Kevin Emeka Udo, in the hopes of turning him into another scoring and rebounding monster.
Kevin, who is currently seeing action in the Fr. Martin’s Cup Division II as a member of San Beda’s Team B, is starting to make waves as a varsity rookie, scoring 12 points and hauling down 15 rebounds when San Beda-B dumped University of the Philippines, 93-72, at the St. Placid Gym in Mendiola recently.
The victory shoved San Beda-B in the early lead with Arellano University and La Consolacion College. Eighteen teams are entered in the senior division while 12 are in the junior side.
With his impressive debut, the 18-year-old Kevin may be on his way to starting a serious basketball career in the country.
And if he continues to improve, Kevin may find himself playing alongside fellow Nigerian Ekwe, San Beda’s 6’8” banger and a key player in the Red Lions’ title-retention bid in the NCAA.
“Medyo masama ang simula namin sa Fr. Martin. They were very jittery and excited about their first game. We were ahead by 30 points, pero medyo nakahabol ang kalaban. They were rushing on defense,” said Team B coach JB Sison of their first victory.
Sison said the Red Lions still managed to fend off the Maroons’ repeated rallies with Kevin taking charge with the offensive boards.
“Most of his points came from offensive rebounds,” Sison said of Kevin. “They [Maroons] were intimidated with his presence.”
Kevin’s mettle will again be tested when San Beda-B battles the PATTS School of Aeronautics on Saturday.
Learning from his brothers
Kevin comes from a big family of seven brothers and two sisters.
His eldest brother Mike, 26, is a 7-footer, who is currently playing as an import in Bahrain. He considers Mike as his biggest influence in his budding career in basketball.
Kevin has another brother, Federly, who’s been playing pro soccer for a club team in Singapore for the last seven years.
But Kevin said he does not excel in soccer, “because I am awkward in football.”
When Federly asked him to stay with him in Singapore, Kevin said he never had the opportunity to play in a tournament there since there are no established basketball leagues in that city-state.
“It’s all been pick-up games just to keep my game going. Singapore is not a basketball-playing country. They don’t have a league,” Kevin said. “The only basketball they have there is strictly for the locals, foreigners are not allowed to join.”
Kevin also said he didn’t have a chance to study in Singapore, but he did manage to land a job as a part-time assistant coach for grade school kids.
Kevin said it was easy and natural for him to play the game of basketball ever since Mike taught him the basics of the game.
“I was very young when my brother started playing pro. He played professional basketball when he was only 19 years old,” said Kevin.
Mike tirelessly taught Kevin the game during the holidays and the off-season, instilling in his younger brother the passion for the game.
The Udo siblings were also influenced by their father, Mike Sr., who was a boxer during his younger days. The elder Udo taught the kids to play a lot of games which helped them develop their athletic skills.
Kevin and his OFW friends
In Singapore, some migrant workers usually play a game of pick-up basketball after office hours. The Pinoys play the game with their Singaporean friends and other expatriates they come across just to keep fit and have some fun.
One day, Kevin had a courtside conversation with two Filipinos after his club team engaged a group of Pinoy expats, who work for an oil company to a basketball game.
One of the migrant workers, a certain Nick Sonario, expressed admiration for Kevin’s court savvy and skills in basketball.
During their conversation, Sonario convinced Kevin to go to the Philipines and get help to further develop his playing skills.
Kevin later decided to heed Sonario’s advice. He packed his bags and tagged along Sonario when the Filipino went home for a vacation last June.
From Sonario, Kevin learned that the Philippines has probably the best basketball programs in Southeast Asia, and maybe as good as China’s.
“He explained to me how the basketball programs work here. And I believed him,” Kevin said.
Kevin was actually thinking of studying in the United States, but he doubted if his basketball skills are good enough to be noticed in the highly competitive basketball scene in the US.
From Nigeria to the Philippines
Upon arrival in the country, Sonario immediately went to work and contacted the schools on behalf of his friend Kevin. Of the five schools Sonario talked to, Ateneo showed interest, and so did San Beda.
Believing that Kevin will get the better deal in San Beda, which already had Ekwe on its fold, Sonario got Kevin to report to the Mendiola campus and join the practices during the last week of June. By then, the 70th NCAA season has already started.
On his first month with the Red Lions, Kevin was allowed by team manager Mike Advani to join the afternoon practices of Team A with Frankie Lim calling the shots.
Earlier this month, Sison took him as a member of the school’s Team B, which was formed only three weeks ago and had since won two out of four tuneup games with Kevin around.
But it took some time before Kevin was able to adjust to his teammates, but with Ekwe around, Kevin slowly became comfortable with his Filipino teammates.
“He’s been like a brother to me, maybe because he’s the only other Nigerian in school. We have this connection that’s so natural. It’s a very good relationship,” said Kevin, who never misses watching a San Beda game in the NCAA.
Going up to Team A
San Beda College will miss only one player next season when Yousif Aljamal, one of its key players, graduates next year. Aljamal was picked by the Coca-Cola Tigers during the recent Philippine Basketball Association rookie draft.
Aljamal’s replacement will naturally come from Team B, and it will all depend on coach Sison, who he will recommend to fill up the vacant slot in San Beda’s regular lineup.
“Hopefully, he [Kevin] will be in Team A kung mate-train namin siya. Nagsisimula pa lang naman ang training,” said Sison, a former Red Cub, who was part of the junior champion team that won titles from 1994 to 1997.
Sison said Kevin is one of four candidates, who will be elevated to Team A, the three others are Philippine Christian University recruits Jake Pascual and Aaron Anacta,
But if he trains and works hard, Kevin might get that sweet spot in Team A, where he and Ekwe can complete the Nigerian connection in San Beda and make it truly a team to beat in the NCAA.
* http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=sports6_aug23_2007