PAUL Garcia has joined Terrafirma after a largely forgettable rookie year spent mostly in the Barangay Ginebra bench.
The No. 34 pick in the PBA Season 49 draft played in just seven games in his first and only season with Ginebra, compiling totals of seven points, three rebounds, and two assists in 27 minutes and 38 seconds.
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The 5-foot-11 guard was moved to Terrafirma for the second season of the two-year deal he signed with Ginebra and he hopes to make the most of the second chance.
“Honestly, I just look at it as a new opportunity and a new blessing,” said Garcia. “Anytime I can put on a jersey and play professional basketball, it’s a blessing to me. I’m just going out there to compete, go hard, and put it on the line every game.”
Garcia's exposure came in the season-opening Governors’ Cup before he was relegated to the unrestricted free agent with rights to salary list of the Gin Kings the rest of the way.
“I was lined up in the first conference, and I was in their UFA for the last two. But I was still practicing with them and hoping to be in the line-up. But over the offseason, they just moved my rights to Terrafirma,” said Garcia.
“I wasn’t upset. I was just grateful to be able to play again,” said the 26-year-old Ateneo product.
Judging from the minutes that he had in the tune-up games, Garcia is expected to be on the court more at Terrafirma than with Barangay Ginebra, and he is looking to take advantage of the opportunity.
“I know I have a bigger role than before. I’ve been in the league for one year already being under a good team like Ginebra. I’m just wanting to bring my experience of what I learn there and bring it here,” said Garcia.
Incidentally, one of his first tune-up games for Terrafirma was against Barangay Ginebra, and he had a chance to face his former teammates in their regular practice venue at The Upper Deck.
“It was kind of weird because I’m not too far removed from them so it kinda felt like I was just going to Ginebra practice,” said Garcia. “Afterwards I was talking to the guys like I usually do after practice and it wasn't anything hard against them. It was just good vibes and I was just happy to be able to play against my old teammates.”
Learning from the best
Garcia hopes to apply at Terrafirma what he learned at Ginebra from teammates like Scottie Thompson and LA Tenorio.
“The small in-game adjustments and just being able to be among well-known vets, learning from Scottie (Thompson), from LA (Tenorio), and all my other vets. I just learned a lot just from observing them and I just want to be able to bring that to here,” said Garcia.
“We are a young team so we don’t really have a lot of older guys that’s been in the league for years just like we did in Ginebra. But that’s okay. I think we can just use our youth and just use our energy to our advantage and just be able to bring that to every game and just compete, play to win, then I think we’ll be alright,” said Garcia.
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