Coming into the off-season, one of the most highly-touted recruits from the UAAP boys division was Mythical Team member Tebol Garcia.
Fresh from his championship run with the Adamson University Baby Falcons, the Kapampangan floor general instantly caught the attention of head coach Jeff Napa and the National University Bulldogs.
“Number one, siyempre, kaya naman kinuha ko siya, tinignan ko kung ano kailangan namin so inaddress ko,” said Napa as NU lost Kean Baclaan to La Salle during the off-season.
Additionally, he quipped about how he visited Pampanga to recruit the 5-foot-11 guard straight from high school.
“Masaya ako, nabola ko, pinili kami,” added Napa, who has a penchant of getting the top talents from Pampanga.
Now playing significant minutes at the Filoil EcoOil 17th ECJ Preseason Cup, Garcia is simply happy to have found a place to call home entering college.
“Masaya ako dahil part na ako ng NU,” Garcia expressed.
Notably, in their 91-59 blowout trouncing of Far Eastern University, he notched 10 points and five assists in just 13 minutes of action.
However, part and parcel of Garcia’s transition to college will always involve moving on from his high school achievements, which he claims will be improved over time.
“Talagang nag-aadjust lang ako, pero nandiyan naman sila coach at ‘yung mga teammates ko na sobrang bait na ginagabayan kami at ‘di nila pinapabayaan na bumaba confidence namin,” shared the member of the NBTC Division 1 Mythical Team.
Moving forward, head coach Napa hopes that Garcia will eventually find his rhythm and adjust accordingly to how he should fit into their system – the same system that brought NU to the UAAP Final Four in the past two years.
“Kailangan niya lang maintindihan kung ano yung Bulldogs basketball, ‘yung NU basketball na approach para at least coming into our season, ready na ready siya,” Napa concluded.
