Jeff Napa
| Letran Knights | |
|---|---|
| Position | Head coach |
| League | National Collegiate Athletic Association |
| Personal information | |
| Born | 1981/1982 |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Career information | |
| College | National University |
| Playing career | 1997/1998–2005 |
| Coaching career | 2005–present |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1997/1998–2002 | NU Bulldogs (UAAP) |
| 2002–2003 | John-O (PBL) |
| 2003–2004 | Viva Mineral Water (PBL) |
| 2004–2005 | Fash Liquid Laundry Detergent (PBL)[1] |
| As coach: | |
| 2005–present | NU Bulldogs (UAAP)) (as assistant) |
| 2011–2016 | NSNU Bullpups (UAAP) |
| 2016–present | Letran Knights |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Jeff Napa (born 1981/1982)[2] is a Filipino collegiate basketball coach of the Letran Knights played in the NCAA and team consultant of the Nazareth School of National University Bullpups junior's basketball team in the UAAP.
Playing career
Napa, together with his co-teammate and now his assistant coach, Chico Manabat[3] is part of the NU Bulldogs men's basketball team that have claimed the first-ever Final Four slot in team's history during Season 64.[2] He also claims the record hold by Allan Caidic for the most number of three-points made in a single UAAP game. However, the Bulldogs did not advanced in the Finals series after their loss against De La Salle Green Archers in the final four series.
After his collegiate career, Napa played for the teams John-O, Viva Mineral Water and Fash Liquid Laundry Detergent in the Philippine Basketball League.
Coaching career
In 2005, Manny Dandan, the then-head coach of NU Bulldogs invited Napa to join the team as an assistant coach and he later accepted it.[2] Napa was later appointed as Head Coach of NU Bullpups junior's basketball team where he successfully steered three championships (Season 74, 76 and 78) with the squad in the last five years.[4]
Move to Letran Knights
Napa was emerged as one of the frontrunners for the coaching job of the Letran Knights, replacing NCAA Season 91 men's basketball champion coach Aldin Ayo who is now the head coach of the De La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP.[5] Right after the championship run of NSNU Bullpups on the UAAP Season 78 juniors basketball tournament, Napa openly admitted in an interview that he is in talks with the Colegio de San Juan de Letran officials about his possibility to took over the coaching duty for Letran Knights.[6] The search committee unanimously voted for Napa after a series of interviews of the applicants including Napa, Mapua Cardinals assistant coach Randy Alcantara, Adamson Falcons assistant coach Mike Fermin, and Letran alumnus Elvis Tolentino.[7]
On March 8, 2016, Napa was appointed as the new head coach of the Letran Knights men's basketball team in a news conference held at the Salon de Actos in the Letran's main campus in Intramuros, Manila.[8][9]
He also decided to stay in the NU Bullpups program as a team consultant.[2] Napa's deputy Manabat, who also the husband of volleyball player Dindin Santiago-Manabat, will be took over as the head coach of the Bullpups starting Season 79. Manabat, Jay Agleron, and Leo Pujante will also joined the coaching staff of the Knights.[10]
Napa will be the second non-Letran alumni to took the coaching job of the men's basketball team, after Louie Alas, who handled the team that won three championships in NCAA men's basketball.
References
- ↑ Villar, Joey (March 11, 2004). "Fash teems with scorers for Unity Cup". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Olivares, Rick (March 8, 2016). "New Knights coach Jeff Napa looks forward to challenge". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ↑ "NU Bulldogs in fighting form". Philippine Daily Inquirer. July 6, 2001. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ↑ Lagunzad, Jerome (March 7, 2016). "Letran set to name Jeff Napa as Knights new head coach". Fox Sports Asia. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ↑ Terrado, Reuben (February 26, 2016). "NU juniors coach Jeff Napa has inside track on Letran Knights coaching job". Spin.ph. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
- ↑ Terrado, Reuben (March 7, 2016). "Jeff Napa set to be formally named Letran Knights head coach in press conference". Spin.ph. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ↑ Riego, Norman Lee Benjamin (March 8, 2016). "Napa a unanimous choice for Letran search committee". ABS-CBN Sports. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ↑ "Letran to formally name Jeff Napa as Knights coach". The Philippine Star. March 7, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ↑ Bracher, Jane (March 8, 2016). "Jeff Napa named new Letran Knights coach". Rappler. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ↑ Li, Matthew (March 8, 2016). "Napa takes on new challenge as Letran head coach". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
| Preceded by Aldin Ayo |
Letran Knights men's basketball head coach 2016–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |