NU may bench Youth skipper Alejandro this UAAP season

MANILA, Philippines—After the National University (NU) Bulldogs’ blowout 99-48 victory against the Jose Rizal University (JRU) Heavy Bombers  on Monday, Bulldogs head coach Eric Altamirano disclosed that Energen Pilipinas Under-16 national team captain Rodolfo “J-Jay” Alejandro III would not suit up for the team for UAAP Season 75.
“Well, right now, we’re not planning to put him (Alejandro) in the lineup yet for (the upcoming UAAP season),” Altamirano said. “Bata pa s’ya (He’s still young), so we try to give him time to mature first, and hopefully next year, he’ll be part of the team.”

NU secured a commitment from the 6-foot guard Alejandro last February. He led the Malayan High School Red Robins last year to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA juniors division while averaging league-best 25.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.8 steals.

He was named as the team captain of the Energen Pilipinas Under-16 team, which finished fourth in the 2011 FIBA Asia Under-16 Championships in Nha Trang, Vietnam, last October, where he once scored 34 against Japan in the second round of the tournament.