Charles Garcia began the 2009-10 college basketball season relatively unknown while playing for Seattle University. With 2010 underway, it's clear Garcia is registered on the NBA radar.

Some observers say the 6-foot-10, 230-pounder could be a first-round choice in the June NBA draft.

Garcia was at Sac State during his freshman year, but could not keep his academic status stable enough to play or practice for the Hornets.

Garcia made a return to the Hornet Gym with his Redhawks, Saturday afternoon. It was Sac State who displayed all of its wares during a closer-than-it-seemed 80-67 victory before a crowd of 783.

Garcia scored 16 points, but made just five of 14 field-goal attempts and grabbed just five rebounds.

He entered the game the nation's 10th-leading scorer at 21.8 points per game and was averaging 9.3 rebounds. Garcia was the Redhawks leading scorer, but the Hornets made him and his teammates work for everything they had. Chris Gweth scored 14 for Seattle (7-10) and former Sacramento High and Yuba College point guard Cervantes Burrell scored 11.

Meanwhile, the Hornets placed six players into double-figure scoring, led by Antonio Flaggs and Duro Bjegovic, with 16 each.

Hornets coach Brian Katz, who was selected out of a coaching candidate field that included Seattle's Cameron Dollar, admitted to wondering what it would be like to coach Garcia.

"I didn't do it during the game, but all week while I was watching film I did," Katz said. "I don't know a coach who wouldn't want to coach Garcia. He's a tremendous athlete."

That didn't prevent Katz from using an attack-dog mentality in an attempt to slow Garcia. A number of pro scouts, including Kings President Geoff Petrie, were in attendance to see the 21-year-old from Los Angeles.

"We wanted to try and make him put it on the floor," Katz said. "We didn't want to let him get comfortable. When he did put it on the floor, we wanted to put what I call our blitz on him and make him back up and don't leave.

"I didn't care if he dribbled into the next county."

Hornets guard Domineek Daniel, who scored 11 points and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, said having a week off prior to the game helped the team prepare for Garcia and the season's remainder.

"We had physical practices Monday and Tuesday and I think that helped us get back to tightening up our defensive game," Daniel said.Katz said his team needed a reminder of what it is about.

"Sometimes during a season you can lose your way," Katz said. "But you have to hang your hat on something. For us, we've got to play the most relentless defense there is."

Garcia found out the Hornets' defense was in a pretty good state Saturday afternoon.