LETRAN coach Rensy Bajar secured the commitment of six rookies in a move to keep the production line active for the Knights in the National Collegiate Athletic Associatio Season 99.
Bajar’s rookies are Jonas Napalang, James Jumao-as, Shad Chang, Paolo Galvez, Ira Mañas and Nathaniel Montecillo.
“We’re satisfied with the new additions, and it’s important that we get the young legs so we can contend further,” Bajar said.
Napalang, the 24th-ranked National Basketball Training Center high school prospect, is a 5-foot-11 playmaker who was the second-leading scorer for University of the Philippines Integrated School with 16.71 points.
The 18-year-old court general also averaged 4.29 rebounds, 3.14 assists and 1.29 steals in 35 minutes for the Junior Maroons.
Jumao-as, meanwhile, is a versatile 6-foot winger who was a major contributor for University of Santo Tomas in their Final Four run this past University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 85.
Also 18, the slasher posted 13.18 points, 4.09 boards, 1.91 assists and 1.09 steals in 22 minutes for the Tiger Cubs.
Chang, another 18-eyar-old, is a 5-foot-11 guard who started 11 of 14 games for La Salle Zobel despite only netting 3.93 points, 2.5 assists and 1.43 rebounds in 22 minutes.
Galvez, 20, is a 5-foot-10 skipper from St. Jerome School of Novaliches who burst into the scene leading GameChanger Novaliches to the NCR Division Finals of the Ballout Founder’s Cup.
Mañas, 18, is a 6-foot-3 forward who played for Homegrown Australia in the 2023 Smart-NBTC National Finals, collecting 9.8 points, 4.8 boards, and 1.0 steal en route to a Division 2 semifinals appearance.
All five are eligible to play five seasons for Letran starting with Season 99.
Montecillo, on the other hand, wallowed in La Salle’s Team B with the 5-foot-10 guard averaging 3.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in last year’s Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup.
He can play for the Knights in Season 100 and still has his full five years of eligibility.
Letran is looking to maintain its dynasty under Bajar, this time with veterans Kurt Reyson, Paolo Javillonar and Kobe Monje leading the charge.
