The Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights welcomed six new players as it continues its quest for a fourth straight men's basketball title.
Jonas Napalang, James Jumao-as, Shad Chang, Paolo Galvez, Ira Mañas, and Nathaniel Montecillo have all joined the Muralla-based squad with the first five players being eligible to play for NCAA Season 99. Montecillo, on the other hand, will be eligible to play come Season 100.
Napalang is a 5-foot-11 playmaker who was the second-leading scorer for University of the Philippines Integrated School with his 16.71 points, 4.29 rebounds, 3.14 assists, and 1.29 steals in 35 minutes for the Junior Maroons.
Jumao-as, meanwhile, is a 6-foot-tall winger from University of Santo Tomas who posted 13.18 points, 4.09 boards, 1.91 assists, and 1.09 steals in 22 minutes for the Tiger Cubs in UAAP Season 85.
Chang, 18, is a 5-foot-11 guard from De La Salle Zobel who posted 3.93 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.43 rebounds in 22 minutes, while the 20-year old, 5-foot-10 skipper Galvez is 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.
Meanwhile, 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.
On the other hand, Montecillo, a 5-foot-10 guard, was part of La Salle's Team B who averaged 3.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in last year's Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup.
New Knights head coach Rensy Bajar said he is happy with their newest additions.
"Masaya kami sa mga additions na ito. Importante sa amin na may mga bata kaming handang tumulong at makipaglaban para mag-contend pa rin kami dito sa Letran," said Bajar.
("We are happy with these additions. It's important to us to have young players ready to help and compete so we can keep contending here in Letran.")
The six will join the likes of veterans Kurt Reyson, Pao Javillonar, and Kobe Monje as Letran tries to defend their title.
—Justin Kenneth Carandang/JMB, GMA Integrated News
