Prince Eze may cherish his trophies and individual accolades, but for the Nigerian center, his diploma stands out the most in his array of achievements.
The former MVP out of the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA shared that after completing his playing years for the Altas, he was very eager to finish his studies — a promise he made to his mother.
He wrapped up his NCAA stint as an MVP back in Season 94, where he averaged 17.9 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game; however, his team failed to reach the finals that year after being ousted by the San Beda University in the Final Four.
He went on capping his Marketing Management degree and in 2019, he finally got his much-awaited diploma. The first thing he wanted to do was show it to his mother, who was in Nigeria at the time.
“I went home and when I went inside her room, she didn’t see me (at first), and she saw me and (she) started crying,” Eze shared on the NCAA primer ‘Rise Up Stronger: The Road to NCAA Season 96’.
“We took a picture, she was holding that (diploma) and she never asked me about my trophies but that one, she brought everywhere.”
Eze shared he worked his way to get to where he is now.
The 6-foot-11 bruiser said prior to his trip to the Philippines, he made a call to a couple of schools including San Beda and Arellano University but it was Perpetual who returned his call. The Management immediately asked him how he would like to proceed with his application as a student-athlete.
After two weeks, he found himself in the country.
“Actually I messaged a lot of schools, San Beda, Perpetual, Arellano but Perpetual listened. They asked me to send my video then I did,” Eze, the Season 94 Defensive Player of the Year, said.
“Then they called me like ‘how do you want to come here to study and play basketball?’ and I said I would love to. So after two weeks, I’m in the Philippines.”
But even with a storied career, Eze said he would always go back to his ultimate purpose, which is to get a free education while doing what he loved the most.
“Actually my education was important to my Mom. She emphasized that,” Eze added.
“She would always call me ‘Prince, did you go to class today?’ She always checks on me. She never asked me about basketball, she’s always focused on my education.”
Watch ‘Rise Up Stronger: The Road to NCAA Season 96’ every weekday (2:45 p.m.) Saturdays (4:30 p.m), and Sundays (5:05 p.m.) on GTV!
—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News
