JEFFERSEN “JEFF” NAPA was named head coach of National University (NU), replacing Jamike Jarin, who moved up to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) to handle the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters.
Napa received the good news while inside the Clark bubble where he is serving as an assistant coach for Alfredo “Pido” Jarencio at Northport.
“We [with NU management] just agreed last Monday. I am currently here in the bubble so I just talked with the bosses [via Zoom],” Napa said.
Napa, 40, ha made the rounds in collegiate hoops. He coached Letran in 2016 and Central Escolar University just this year. He confided to BusinessMirror that at the moment, his deal with NU is a “gentlemen’s agreement” while he is confined inside the PBA bubble.
But NU’s management made the official announcement through Twitter on Friday. “Just in: Bulldogs head coach search is over. NU names alumnus Jeff Napa as the new head tactician of the men’s basketball team. Details to follow,” NU’s said in a statement.
“I’m happy, big challenge for me, so I will just take full responsibility that I am excited to all the obstacles that I am going to face,” added Napa, who played for the Bulldogs from 1997 to 2002 in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. He was part of the team that made the Final Four in Season 64.
From 2011 to 2016,
Napa steered the NU Bullpups to three UAAP junior’s titles before joining Letran as head coach.
In the 2018 National Collegiate Athletic Association season, Napa brought the Knights to the semifinals as the No. 3 team, but they lost their twice-to-beat advantage to the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates.