NATIONAL University has lost prized playmaker Kean Baclaan but the Bulldogs have linked up with a capable replacement and added a promising wingman.
Two days ago, the Sampaloc-based five secured the commitments of 86th UAAP boys’ basketball tournament champions Tebol Garcia and Vince Reyes, who will join the team now led by Jake Figueroa, Steve Nash Enriquez, and Reinhard Jumamoy.
NU coach Jeff Napa was pleased with his recruits.
“Malaking addition iyong nakuha natin ngayon kasi itong dalawang ito, hindi lang magagaling na player, kundi mga winner pa,” Napa said.
Two months ago, Garcia and Reyes helped Adamson High School win its first title in juniors’ play since 1993–interestingly, at the expense of NU-Nazareth School.
The former is a 5-foot-11 guard who averaged 12.4 points, 5.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.2 steals, while the latter stands at 6-foot-3 and normed 12.7 markers, 7.3 boards, 2.7 dimes, and 1.3 pilfers.
Garcia, the No. 5 under-19 player in the Philippines, according to the NBTC, will be a big boost to the Bulldogs’ guard rotation that lost Baclaan to reigning champion La Salle and will now hand over the reins to Enriquez and Jumamoy.
Reyes (No. 7 U19 player), will be another do-it-all weapon Napa can deploy alongside the likes of Figueroa and Jolo Manansala.
“A big step forward na ‘yung nagawa natin nitong nakaraan and sana, sa pagpapatuloy na pag-mature nina Jake, Nash, at Reinhard pati rito sa mga bagong promising player natin, maka-move forward pa tayo lalo,” the amiable Napa said.
The Bulldogs advanced to the Final Four in the last two cage wars and now seek greater heights in their third season with Napa calling the shots.
