For his consistent performance which he oftentimes highlighted with gutsy plays at crunch time, sophomore guard RR Garcia of Far Eastern University has tightened his grip for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

Dubbed as the team’s “Silent Assassin,” Garcia, only on his second year, has tallied 64.7143 points at the end of the first round of the 73rd UAAP basketball tournament to show the way in the race for the highest individual honor.

The latest basketball hero to come out of Zamboanga City – after Mark Barroca – the 5-foot-11 Garcia helped the Tamaraws complete a seven-game sweep of the round where he normed 17.7 points along with 3.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals.

His stats and leadership left FEU coach Glenn Capacio in awe.

"Bilang coach niya, kampante ako kasi para siyang coach sa loob at nadadala niya yung team, so wala ka nang mahihingi kay RR," said Capacio, who himself was a former league MVP during the early-1980's.

If he remains consistent in the final seven games, Garcia would become the first FEU player to win an MVP plum since 2005 when current San Miguel Beer star Arwind Santos bagged his second straight MVP. It was also the year when the Tamaraws last won a championship.

"Ganun lang naman talaga yung laro ko (na maging relax kahit may pressure) sana matuloy-tuloy ko yung pagiging consistent," said the soft-spoken Garcia, who showed poise under pressure in several close games this season.

Garcia’s chief rival for the MVP award is University of the East’s Paul Lee.

Despite the Red Warriors' dismal 1-6 slate, Lee remains one of the best all-around players with his overall tally of 60.2857 points on personal averages of 17.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.7 steals.

FEU's Aldrech Ramos, a member of the Smart Gilas RP team, is third with 58.4286 points while National University's Cameroonian center Emmanuel Mbe and the Tams' Reil Cervantes round up the top five with 55.8571 and 55.0000 points, respectively.

University of Santo Tomas' Chris Camus, Ateneo's Eric Salamat and Nico Salva and Adamson's Eric Camson and Ateneo's Kirk Long made it to the top 10.