Akhuetie, Eze, Thompson to anchor Perpetual Help this 91st NCAA season.

June 21, 2015

Perpetual Help has never won a senior basketball championship in the NCAA since joining the league decades ago. The drought could end this year.

Injected with life after getting two difference-making Nigerian imports Bright Akhuetie and Prince Eze, the Altas will be eyeing no less than win their first ever title when the 91st NCAA cage wars unfold on Saturday at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.

Akhuetie and Eze along with reigning MVP and Gilas cadet team standout Earl Scottie Thompson have made the Las Pinas-based school a legitimate threat to San Beda’s six-peat feat bid.

The 6-8 Akhuetie made the biggest impression among all incoming African rookies, coming through with strong performances on both ends of the floor to help Perpetual Help top the Fr. Martin Collegiate Cup and finish in the quarterfinals of the Filoil Flying V event in the pre-season.

Eze, a 6-11 specimen, also made a good account of himself and should be a strong backup to the talented Akhuetie.

For Thompson, who was a vital cog in Gilas’ gold medal triumph in the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore a week ago, he wants to use this season as his swan song before he applies for the PBA draft.

“I hope to help Perpetual Help to win an NCAA championship before I graduate and hopefully, play in the PBA,” said Thompson, a proud son of Digos, Davao del Sur, in Filipino.

Perpetual Help coach Aric del Rosario, however, thinks everything will hinge on Akhuetie and Eze.

“I expect more from them,” said del Rosario of Akhuetie and Eze. “They will be the anchor of this team, we need them to be rocksolid especially in defense.”

Also expected to have bigger responsibility this year following the departture of Juneric Baloria, Harold Arboleda, Justin Alano and Joel Jolangcob, are Gab Dagangon, Gerald Dizon, Ric Gallardo, Kevin Oliveria and new starting point guard Crispin Elopre II.