Bulldogs beef up: NU taps Adamson junior champs Garcia, Reyes

MANILA, Philippines – The NU Bulldogs look to recoup their player losses from last season after securing the commitment of two key cogs from UAAP Season 86 boys basketball champion Adamson Baby Falcons, the team announced on Wednesday, April 10.

Tebol Garcia and Vince Reyes are set to join the Bulldogs as key replacements for Kean Baclaan, who transferred to La Salle, as well as John Lloyd Clemente and Mike Malonzo, who both graduated.

The Bulldogs expect the standout high school duo to complement Jake Figueroa, Steve Nash Enriquez, and Reinhard Jumamoy starting UAAP Season 87 later this year.

“We got two big additions since they are not only talented, but proven winners as well,” NU head coach Jeff Napa said in Filipino.

Garcia and Reyes were both instrumental in helping lead the Baby Falcons to their first UAAP championship since 1993, at the expense of the NU Bullpups.

Moreover, Garcia is a member of the Season 86 Mythical Five – with averages of 12.4 points, 5.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.2 steals, while Reyes normed 12.7 markers, 7.3 boards, 2.7 dimes, and 1.3 steals.

Both also earned top 10 spots in the recent NBTC 24 list, which ranks the top high school players in the country, with Garcia at fifth and Reyes at seventh, as they also helped lead the Baby Falcons to the Division 1 championship game.

“What we’ve already accomplished is a big step forward, and hopefully, we could see the continued maturity of Jake, Nash, and Reinhard, as well as our new promising players, and will be able to move forward even more,” said Napa, the incoming third-year head coach.

Under Napa’s watch, NU barged into the Final Four in his first two years with his alma mater. – Rappler.com