Cebu big man excited to soar in UAAP
DAWN OF A NEW ERA. Ochea ushers in a new period in Adamson basketball. Photo by Rappler/Kevin dela Cruz.
DUMAGUETE City, Philippines -- Still basking in the glory of winning the 2013 Palarong Pambansa basketball crown, Visayan slotman Dawn Ochea is already expressing hopes of beating 5-peat UAAP champions Ateneo de Manila University.
After showing his mettle in the championship match, where he scored 16 points and hauled down 12 boards, the Mythical Team member sets his sights to making an impact as he moves to Manila
No less than his head coach Rommel Rasmo applauded the hardworking center, saying that the 6-foot-4 banger "really propelled" the team to victory.
The flamboyant Ochea started his basketball career during his first year in high school, getting recruited to play for the Sacred Heart-Ateneo de Cebu basketball team.
After years of sheer effort and will, he, along with other stellar players, towed the squad to a championship -- and at the expense of the defending titlists at that.
The Central Visayas main man dreams of getting to the PBA after his college stint. Yet even before he sets foot on the UAAP, he proudly declares that the Soaring Falcons will be contenders in Season 76.
Despite being undersized, Ochea will rely on one main weapon against the UAAP bigs: “Puso lang.”
When asked whether the beating Ateneo quote might sound boastful to the cagers from Katipunan, the gentle big man just laughed it out.
“Don’t let them know [that we’ll beat them],” an elated Ochea mentioned. “It’s just a dream. I want to be a [UAAP] champion.”
Sealing his high school career with a national championship, the Leyte native is ready to unleash his power in one of the premiere collegiate basketball leagues in the country. - Rappler.com
