Tebol Garcia and Vince Reyes to Play for NU Bulldogs
Following a stellar campaign in the juniors UAAP, Justine “Tebol” Garcia has committed to play for another team. The 5-foot-11 guard chose National University over his alma mater, Adamson University. He will join the Bulldogs with his high school teammate Vince Reyes.
They are expected to help NU in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament later this year. They will fill the vacuum left by former ace player Kean Baclaan, who moved to the defending champion La Salle. Baclaan is expected to suit up for the Green Archers come Season 88.
Head coach Jeff Napa said the two are big additions to the team and not just good players; they are proven winners. The two spitfire guards were the catalysts in Adamson’s first juniors championship in 31 years — ironically against the dynastic NU-Nazareth School.
The Pampanga-native Garcia had all-around numbers of 12.4 points, 5.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.2 steals, while the 6-foot-3 Reyes had almost the same statistics: 12.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals on Season 86. Tebol Garcia and Reyes were also top high school players in the Philippines, with Garcia ranked 5th and Reyes 19th in the National Basketball Training Center’s (NBTC) top 20 under-19 prospects.
With the Bulldogs, Garcia is expected to share playing time with fellow ex-NBTC standouts Reinhard Jumamoy and Steve Nash Enriquez in the stacked point guard rotation. Meanwhile, Reyes will share the workloads with Napa’s scoring weapons, Jake Figueroa and Jolo Manansala. Fortunately, Napa will have Garcia and Reyes at his disposal for five years of eligibility in the UAAP.
The Bulldogs are hunting to improve their performance in the upcoming season following back-to-back bronze medal finishes. They last entered the Finals in Season 77 (2014) — NU’s last championship win in UAAP men’s basketball. Tebol Garcia was already featured here in the previous article, and he is ripping the fruits of his labors, so we will be getting to know more about Vince Reyes.
Reyes is a resident of Caloocan City, and basketball has been an integral part of his life. He transitioned from being a varsity player at Systems Plus Computer College, ultimately leading him to San Marcelino. Garcia was playing for NCR when his teammate in Caloocan, Jio Gonzaga, successfully entered Adamson and recommended that he try out with the Baby Falcons.
Despite his success with Adamson, Garcia always remembered where he came from and even thanked the teachers and classmates he met at Systems Plus. Without them, he would not be where he is today. Tebol Garcia will never forget his time with System Plus because its closeness is different from others despite being a small school. He added that his journey there will be brought wherever it takes him.
Garcia and Reyes have been at the forefront of Adamson’s resurgence in the UAAP juniors scene. Last February, they led the Baby Falcons to their first UAAP boys basketball title since 1993. They also led Adamson to a second-place finish in the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) Division 1.
The Baby Falcons would have defended the crown but succumbed to eventual champions Fil-Am Nation Select, 79-71, in the championships last March. The game was intense, and Fil-Am Select only pulled through in the final four minutes to secure the victory and the title.
Garcia led Adamson with 20 points and was named into Division 1’s Mythical Five with Reyes. Fil-Am Nation’s Terrence Hill, Andy Gemao, and Jacob Bayla were the other members. Tebol Garcia and Vince Reyes will embark on a new journey, this time in the seniors rank, and are expected to bring their A-games just like they did in high school.
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