UP Fighting Maroons’ Favour Onoh during a UAAP Season 86 women’s basketball game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines —Favour Onoh has bid farewell to the University of the Philippines to take her talents to the US NCAA Division 1, joining the Oklahoma State University (OSU) Cowgirls.
The UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development on Wednesday announced the latest athlete to enter the international scene.
“I would not be able to have this kind of opportunity without UP and the skills I learned not just in basketball, but also in life,” Onoh said.
READ: UAAP: Favour Onoh gets special ‘reward’ after Rookie of the Year plum
“I believe OSU will allow me to develop more. Aside from giving good education just like UP, it will also give me a better opportunity to play professionally.”
The 6-foot-4 Nigerian made a rousing debut in UAAP Season 86 two years ago, winning Rookie of the Year honors and teaming up with Louna Ozar to lead UP to its first Final Four appearance since 2008.
Onoh dominated with an average of 11.0 points, 14.9 rebounds, 2.9 blocks, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 assists.
However, the foreign student-athlete missed Season 87 due to knee injuries, and the Fighting Maroons struggled without her, finishing with a 5-9 record in fifth place.
Ahead of the next chapter of her career, Onoh assured she is fully recovered as she prepares to fly to Stillwater, Oklahoma on June 2 to begin training with the Cowgirls for the Big 12 Tournament later this year.
“I’m super excited to play in the NCAA because it will help me gain experience and knowledge. It’s one step to my goal of playing professionally,” she said.
The 19-year-old joins fellow former UP players Javi and Juan Gomez de Liano and Carl Tamayo—who recently clashed in the Korean Basketball League Finals—as well as KBL Rookie of the Year JD Cagulangan and Japan B.League import Francis Lopez in the international ranks.
“We are all proud of Favour and we will all continue supporting her. At the same time, nakakabilib na in just a few years, may ganitong talent nang na-produce ang WBT natin,” said Office for Athletics and Sports Development Director Bo Perasol.
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Ozar and Kaye Pesquera will lead the charge for UP in Season 88.
