FOLLOWING the end of their respective collegiate careers, the University of Santo Tomas’ (UST) Jeric Teng and the Far Eastern University’s (FEU) RR Garcia are taking their acts to the big leagues as they recently submitted their applications for the upcoming PBA Draft.
According to reports, Teng, the heart and soul of the Growling Tigers who finished runners-up of the UAAP after falling to La Salle, and Garcia, a one-time MVP of the aforementioned league, are considered to be the best guard prospects in this draft bereft of backcourt talent and laden with big men led by Cebuano Greg Slaughter, former NCAA MVP Ian Sangalang and Letran ace Raymund Almazan.
Crowd darling Ginebra is set to pick first while San Mig Coffee will be picking second in this year’s draft.
Teng bolstered his stock in the recent UAAP finals, where he nearly led the fourth-seeded Tigers to the title before falling short in Game Three. He averaged 23 points in that series.
Garcia, on the other hand, backed out from his commitment to the Gilas Cadet team to join the draft and avoid next year’s pool, which expects to have a bevy of guards in it headed by Chris Banchero, Kevin Alas and Garvo Lanete. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio