Garcia gets fourth UAAP citation (10:15 a.m.)

MANILA -- Zamboagueno hotshot Ryan Roose Garcia cruised to an unprecedented fourth Player of the Week award in the 73rd University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) after directing Far Eastern University’s ongoing saga for the elusive basketball crown.

Certainly, the 20-year-old sophomore knows his job responsibilities with mastery as he lifted the Tamaraws to a second straight twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four as FEU upped its record to 11-2 (win-loss).

As badge of consistency, Garcia showed the exit door to National University (NU) after unloading 11 of his 23 points in the third canto to deliver a 77-62 victory on Thursday, then capped his week with 12 markers in a 70-48 rout of University of the Philippines (UP) last Sunday.

Garcia’s heroics against the pesky Bulldogs marked the fourth time he reached 20-plus territory this year, dating back to July 11, when he drained 15 out of his 25 big markers in the second half to deal Ateneo’s first season opener in five years.

The former RP Youth standout is the leading candidate for the coveted Most Valuable Player (MVP) award despite the strong challenge posed by teammate and Smart Gilas national squad member Aldrech Ramos and NU's Emmanuel Mbe, the all-around rookie from French-speaking Cameroon. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)