Jeff Napa set to be named as CEU Scorpions head coach

Centro Escolar University is eyeing Jeff Napa as the man to lead the Scorpions moving forward.

Multiple sources closely monitoring the situation have confirmed the development to Tiebreaker Times.

This comes in the wake of Derrick Pumaren’s resignation as both head coach and head of basketball operations of the Scorpions last month. Pumaren, together with lead assistant Gabby Velasco, is now with La Salle.

A source added that Napa was the top choice of the school’s brass to take over the team, which is looking to end a three-year title drought in the UCBL.

Napa will have his hands full with the Scorpions, though, as they enter a rebuilding phase.

Besides the departure of key players due to game-fixing allegations last May, ace big man Malick Diouf also transferred from CEU to University of the Philippines last month.

Still, Napa will have Angel Escalona, Franz Diaz, Dave Bernabe, and Gilles Oloume to lead his squad beginning in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League.

CEU will also take part in the 2020 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup and the 2020 National Capital Region Athletic Association tournament. The Scorpions are the defending NCRAA champions.

The 38-year-old Napa will have his hands full, since he is also the consultant for Letran and an assistant coach for NorthPort.

Napa, an alumnus of National University, is a three-time UAAP Juniors Basketball champion coach. He also coached Letran from season 92 to 94, making it to the Final Four in the NCAA in his final year.