BY John Miles Arcenal
FOR years, Steve Nash Enriquez has lived under National U head coach Jeff Napa’s tough love, and instead of being broken, he has been built.
Built for the moment. Built for the present and future. Built for this one last shot at glory in UAAP Season 88.
Since Season 84, the two have shared a relationship that’s never been about comfort. It’s been about growth that comes with raised voices, wake-up calls, and lessons you don’t forget.
“Matagal ko na kasama si Nash eh. I expect a lot from him talaga,” Napa said. “Yung transformation niya, nakita ko mula nung bata siya.”
That transformation - from an energetic guard out of NU-Nazareth School to the Bulldogs’ veteran leader - didn’t happen overnight. It was years of trust, correction, and belief disguised as pressure.
When NU lost rising star Reinhard Jumamoy to a shoulder injury in between the first and second rounds, Napa didn’t flinch.
“Confident pa rin ako kahit wala si Reinhard kasi confident ako dito kay Nash talaga,” he said, though in the same breath, admitting he still wasn’t letting Enriquez off easy.
READ: Cebuano guards Enriquez, Jumamoy fueling NU title drive
“Kaya nga medyo napagsabihan ko siya (Enriquez), wake-up call ko, call of attention. Kasi hindi na siya bago sa akin talaga eh,” he added.
“Ayoko yung nakikitang binu-bully-bully nung kaibigan. May sense of urgency ako na kahit kaibigan mo yan, kailangan ipakita mo na iba ka na,” he furthered, referring to the Bulldogs' most recent loss to the University of the Philippines where they got torched by Enriquez' good pal in Harold Alarcon.
Napa lights fire under Nash
That’s classic Napa - demanding, honest, and never fully satisfied. But if you ask Enriquez, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Coach Jeff bilang tatay ko, second father, Siyempre, gusto niya naman yung best sa’kin, ‘yung best namin. Tough love lang talaga,” the Cebuano guard told SPIN.ph.
“Naiintindihan ko siya, sabi ko kay Lord na pabawiin mo ako para sa team.”
The 5-foot-9 playmaker has long embraced this relationship. He’s been through the same film sessions, the same locker room reminders, and the same pressure-cooker moments for over three years now.
He knows full well every scolding comes from a place of trust.
“Natural lang talaga na pagalitan ka niya kasi may nakita siyang mali sa’yo,” Enriquez said. “Alam ko na yun, minsan masakit, pero tatanggapin mo kasi para sa’yo lang yun eh.”
Now in his final year, the skipper has turned that tough love into leadership. He’s become National U’s voice on the floor - calm but commanding, driven but grounded.
“Pangako lang na ibibigay ko yung best ko,” he said. “Yung goal namin, alam ko na ‘yun. Sana ibigay ni Lord. Bigay lang namin yung 200-percent, lahat nang makakaya para sa inyo.”
And for that, Napa is proud - though he will not be satisfied just yet with the climb to the mountaintop still ongoing.
As he put it, “I’m happy now, pero not contented. Kasi I demand more.”
That’s the relationship they’ve built and it’s paying off in this tournament, with the Bulldogs sitting pretty on top of the standings.
But then again, they're happy, but not contented.
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