National Team Prospects(The Future of Gilas Pilipinas Basketball)

[Quilluaz]

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Philippine basketball is riding a new high these days, with noteworthy performances rendered by the youth teams in the Under-17 World Championship and the Under-18 Asian tournament, as well as the on-going campaign of the Gilas Pilipinas five in the 2014 FIBA World Cup.


With Philippine basketball making it big on a global stage, more and more Filipino families, both residing locally and those based abroad, are exploring the possibility of their children playing for the national team.


Thanks to the internet and social media, more and more overseas-based players with Filipino blood are being discovered around the world and identified as possible candidates for future national teams, no different from Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson and other Fil-foreign players now suiting up for Gilas Pilipinas.

Now the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is looking to tap into this rich talent base.

SBP executive director Sonny Barrios said the basketball body is in the process of drafting a program that aims to reach out to these Fil-foreign players and integrate them into the national team program at a very young age, in the hope of tapping them for future Gilas teams.

Businessman Andrew Teh, who is team manager of the Batang Gilas youth squads, said it is important to reach out to the prospects early, not only to assure that they will become eligible to play for the national team but also to get their firm commitment to represent the Philippines in tournaments overseas.







There is one Filipino-Nigerian player who, at 15, already stands 6-foot-8; there's another Fil-Aussie prospect who was already 6-foot-5 at the age of 12. They have already expressed an interest to suit up for our National Team.

Let us show support to our current National Team guys. Let's talk about the future a little bit too

Share sad mo ug updates or info.

[dirk14]

Ok ra gyud basta walay politika ani basketball... we just find the best talented players and get them in the pool early... Kay kani mga squabbles sa Basketball orgs have been hurting the squad for a long time.

[Quilluaz]

ARIEL JOHN EDU

After Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas President Manny V. Pangilinan announced that the NSA is looking for taller players to beef up the national youth teams, a 6-8, 14-year old(at the time) kid based in United Kingdom has heeded the call.

AJ Edu, born to a Filipina mother and a Nigerian father, has made his plans known to suit up for Philippines if given the opportunity.

Josie Edu, AJ’s mother, sent a personal message to them the other day asking for help to get in touch with the SBP and the national team.

Josie said her son holds a Filipino passport since he was two years old and would like to inquire on the possibility of playing for the national team.


AJ is a promising prospect for the national team at 6 feet 8 inches and only 15 years old. He was was born on January 1, 2000

For the past couple of years, AJ has been playing competitive basketball against players two to four years older than he is. Not surprisingly, he was the star of the Storm’s U14 team last year.

Right now, AJ has moved up, playing against guys who are 16-18 years of age, and, again, doing quite well.

He is a a 6’8 15-year old kid who has decent handles. Still raw but moves well for his size and has solid fundamentals.

He was already recruited for the Wales and Greek National team but expressed desire to play for his mothers home country first if given the chance.

Aj’s father Ayotunde Edu, who is 6-8, used to be a basketball player in Nigeria and now serves as high school basketball coach in Wales

His mother Josie, who hails from Surigao City, though made it clear that her son has no plans to play college basketball in the Philippines as they are eyeing a US college stint with the hopes of someday making it to the NBA.

AJ Edu basketball highlights
https://youtu.be/DmlfVlxJ5AI

(Disclaimer: Credit goes to the writers and scouts of the SBP. )

[Quilluaz]

Ethan Kirkness

Ethan Kirkness, a 12-year old, 6-foot-5 kid born to an Australian named Michael and a Filipina mother named Dinah.

Unlike AJ Edu, who is lanky and athletic, Kirkness got the size and the heft and still growing.

Kirkness plays for the Gold Coast Celtics Under-13 team. Ethan has a 6’8” wingspan and wears US size 18 shoes. He is a left handed player and can pick up the ball with just one hand, according to his father.

The Kirkness family have been to the Philippines thrice to visit Dinah’s relatives and look for an opportunity to advance Ethan's basketball skills.

In a recent development though, the Fil-Aussie Ethan Kirkness returned to Australia as he got a slot in the country’s junior training program. The NPP is considered the foremost training pool for prospective junior basketball players towards identifying future members of Australia’s national basketball teams.

In short, They failed to get a suitable offer during his short stay here in the Philippines.

There is still a possibility that he suits up for the PH in the future but its becoming more and more unlikely. It is also possible that the Kirkness might cross paths with Gilas Pilipinas one day in a future international competition, with the continents of Asia and Oceania combining to play in the soon-to-be formalized FIBA Asia-Pacific.

A video of Ethan Kirkness playing B-Ball
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMxkz2iuEbY

(Disclaimer: Credit goes to the writers and scouts of the SBP. )

[dirk14]

Kiwaw pa kayu ning duha ka bata... dugay pani na project


Sedrick Barefield kani great all around guard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax9jlTFAHDs
But we do need Big men!!!
We can Breed Andre na lng hehehe

[Quilluaz]

Kiwaw pa kayu ning duha ka bata... dugay pani na project


Sedrick Barefield kani great all around guard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax9jlTFAHDs
But we do need Big men!!!
We can Breed Andre na lng hehehe

Kabantay sad ko ani niya bro. Ngilngig sad bata.a kay gi recruit gud sa SMU Mustangs. He will be playing for legendary coach Larry Brown. 6-2 sad na point guard.

SA imo na hibaw.an bro, ni express naba ni siya ug interest mu apil sa Gilas pohon? Basin ba uwahi napud ni maka kuha ug Passport hehehehe...


Sakto gyud ka, sa Big men gyud ta kuwang. Naa unta lage di man i pa huwam. mangita nalang ta ug lain option.

================================================== =================
Update:
Murag di na eligible si Barefield bro. According to this article wala cya kakuha PH passport before turning 16.

Gilas Pilipinas 2015: Who’s eligible? Who’s not?

[PhakSheet]

This kid (Kamaka Hepa) is a great prospect for the Philippine National Team.
15 years old and currently at 6'8".

High school the best years? No, best is yet to come, even for us Barrow Whalers | Alaska Dispatch News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgrb...ature=youtu.be

[Quilluaz]

This kid (Kamaka Hepa) is a great prospect for the Philippine National Team.
15 years old and currently at 6'8".

High school the best years? No, best is yet to come, even for us Barrow Whalers | Alaska Dispatch News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgrb...ature=youtu.be

Dili lang taas ,Maau sad mu dula bro. That shooting stroke looks great.
Ma kuhaan ba kaha nig passport on time. Hapit na siya mag 16. January 27,2000 iya Bday

[PhakSheet]

Dili lang taas ,Maau sad mu dula bro. That shooting stroke looks great.
Ma kuhaan ba kaha nig passport on time. Hapit na siya mag 16. January 27,2000 iya Bday

Mao lge bro. Naay shooting skill na nga bata.
I think naapil ni siya sa mga gipang-scout sa Gilas.
If ila na ni gi-consider sa national pool, dapat ila na gi-advise-san ang parents sa bata nga mag-kuha na ug Phil. passport.

[thewicked46]

David Christian - fil/canadian -#1 High School Ranked Canadian prospect class 2017 / 6’6” SG - will play for Division 1 US college team.

Christian David - NorthPoleHoops.com



Aaron Craft - age: 24 fil/am 6'2" PG played 4 years in Ohio State /currently playing sa Hungarian league



Christian Standhardinger - age: 26 Fil/german 6'8" PF played for University of Hawai’i and Nebraska/ went undrafted sa NBA(2014) currenty playing sa German leagues.



Stephen Holt - age: 23 fil/am 6' 4" PG/SG - played college ball sa St. Mary's/ training camp with cleveland cavs/ atlanta hawks.

[IMG]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6m-mUEzHNJc/VC0Rom1GUdI/AAAAAAAAB5s/q4v2Cpy-xUQ*******holt_0.jpg[/IMG]