Basketball
Peter Osang makes long-awaited UST debut count
After three years of patiently waiting, Peter Osang finally got his opportunity to play in the UAAP.
On Wednesday, the University of Santo Tomas opted to field the 22-year-old Nigerian in place of Collins Akowe against the University of the East.
Osang made every minute of his long-awaited debut count.
The 6-foot-7 forward delivered a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds, on top of five blocks, as the Growling Tigers cruised to a 97-70 victory over the Red Warriors in the UAAP Season 89 Men’s Basketball Tournament at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
“I just stuck with what the coaches told me, and I played nothing special. Just played with the team, helped the team, did my job. That’s all,” Osang said.
It was a moment three years in the making for the agile forward, who joined UST in March 2023.
After finally getting his first taste of UAAP action, Osang admitted to assistant coach Peter Martin that he was overwhelmed by the moment.
But his composure on the floor hardly showed it.
“I just focused on the game, focused on defense,” he added.
Fellow foreign student-athlete Akowe also offered Osang some words of advice before tip-off.
Despite their differences in experience, Osang said he has always looked up to Akowe and credited his teammate’s guidance for helping him avoid putting too much pressure on himself.
“He’s one of the players in UST I look up to. I know I got here before him, but I’m still learning. So I learned from him, and I applied it to the game as well.”
Osang’s breakthrough performance was also a welcome sight for his coaches and teammates, who had witnessed firsthand the long road he took to finally earn his opportunity.
For the coaching staff, however, his impressive debut has presented an interesting dilemma, with Martin now having to weigh his options between Osang and Akowe moving forward.
“He was always a part of the team. It turned out well for today,” said Martin.
Teammate Amiel Acido, who led all scorers with 22 points in UST’s victory, was equally delighted to see Osang finally get his moment after witnessing the work he had put in behind the scenes.
“Very happy ako for Peter. Nakikita ko yung mga pinagtatrabahuhan niya. Every single day he’s working out, and he’s always present sa mga practice namin. I’m very happy for him,” said Acido.
Martin also shared that the coaching staff is looking forward to giving Osang another opportunity in the coming games.
Whether that chance comes in UST’s final two games of the season remains to be seen. Regardless, the Nigerian student-athlete insists that his approach will not change, regardless of how much playing time comes his way.
“It’s always been like that. I’ll keep on working, keep on showing up, keep on learning, and stay ready.”
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