Versatile Fil-American point guard Paul Garcia is suiting up for Ateneo Blue Eagles in the next two seasons of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.
The 5’11” Garcia played for the Salisbury University Seagulls, a collegiate squad in the third division of the US National Collegiate Athletic Association.
The 22-year-old Garcia plans to join the Blue Eagles’ practice sessions by the end of the month, as soon as he is done with his graduation chores.
Coach Tab Baldwin intends to put Garcia in the spot which used to belong to SJ Belangel, who skipped his last two playing years to play for the Daegu Kogas in the Korean Basketball League.
“Paul’s not just a dynamic point guard, he’s a well-rounded guard. He can score and play in the off-guard position as well,” said Baldwin in a Zoom meetup with scribes.
The UAAP is planning to have Season 85 in late October this year, while Season 86 is set for next year.
Garcia grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland and is the youngest of five children. He traces his roots in Manila, where his parents Fernando and Rita are from.
After starting out his college career at Montgomery, Garcia went on to play at Salisbury University.
“Yes, that’s my plan (join Ateneo). But I got to finish some things first,” said Garcia.
The Blue Eagles are in a rebuilding mode following the graduation of key players like Gian Mamuyac and Tyler Tio, the departure of Belangel, and with Ange Kouame recovering from a partial ACL injury.
Earlier, Baldwin, team manager Epok Quimpo and team scout Dean Castano secured the commitments of 6’7” 18-year-old Fil-Australian Mason Amos and two Filipino-American standouts, forward Kainoa “Kai” Ballungay and guard Andrew Bongo.
Meanwhile, the Blue Eagles will go to Tokyo for an invitational tourney to play against the top college squads from Japan, Taiwan, and Indonesia.
The tourney will be held from August 9 to 11 at Yoyogi National Stadium Second Gymnasium.
Japanese team Tokai University Seagulls, back-to-back University Basketball Association champion National Chengchi University Griffins of Taiwan, and Liga Mahasiswa titlist Universitas Pelita Harapa Eagles of Indonesia are in the list of entries.