(Part 3 of 3) Playing in the United States has been the dream for most Filipino hoopers.
Count Kieffer Alas among them.
But unlike most, the youngest Alas actually has a chance to fulfill that and more as he plays his final year of high school at Layton Christian Academy in Utah.
He sees this opportunity as a good first step toward a US NCAA Division 1 stint and, fingers crossed, the NBA.
[READ PART 1: Next in Line: Kieffer Alas guided by military-like dad Louie in pursuit of US hoops dream]
[READ PART 2: Next in Line: Kieffer Alas wants dad Louie to witness him make it to US NCAA, NBA]
Such aspirations were expected from someone exposed to everything basketball at an early age.
After all, the teenage sensation has a coach for a father in Louie Alas, who brought him to every basketball function — including practices with Letran and, later, Alaska in the PBA — as he was growing up.
Lest one forget, his three big brothers, Kristoffer, Kevin and Kenneth, also took after their dad and pursued the same sport.
Still, the desire to strut his stuff in the sport’s mecca only came when he was in the 10th grade.
“Last year, when I was in 10th grade, I guess it popped up into my mind to keep on dreaming high. The sky's the limit, ‘di ba? So nothing's impossible,” Kieffer told One Sports Profiles.
“And I wanted to be one of the first Filipinos to play D1. I'm guessing there's only one or two who did it before. So, I hope, magtuloy-tuloy.”
So his camp reached out to Layton Christian Academy in Utah, as he eyes to play for them in Grade 12.
“We told them we were interested and they wanted me to come over,” the UAAP Season 87 juniors Most Valuable Player said.
While he was eager to visit the school at the time, he opted to serve the country first before doing so.
But Alas, who led Gilas Pilipinas Youth to a fourth-place finish in the 2023 FIBA Asia U16 Cup to qualify for the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup, got hampered by a sprained ACL ahead of the biennial meet in Turkiye.
He sustained the injury during a tune-up match in Canada and was ruled out of the competition.
Still, choosing the country first was worth it for Alas.
“We were actually supposed to come there (Layton). But sabay sa World Cup, so I had to choose. I chose the national team. I got injured, but I still chose the national team,” said Kieffer, who was named into the All-Star Five in the 2023 FIBA Asia U16 Cup.
[RELATED STORY: Kieffer Alas-less Gilas boys succumb to Lithuania in FIBA U17 World Cup opener]
Sharpening his tools
Firmly fixed on his goal, the next step for the Gilas Pilipinas Youth standout and De La Salle Zobel star was to become a more complete player.
So, last May, he joined a training camp with the NBL1 West team Warwick Senators in Perth, Australia.
There he learned a valuable lesson from Warwick standout Elijah Pepper.
“It was good, especially learning from — they had a national team player there — Elijah Pepper, averaging like 40 points a game in the NBL,” Kieffer shared.
“So that's crazy, having to guard him. Even if I'm in his face, he's still making shots, so I got to learn from him. He's not a teacher by words, but by action. So you can tell that whatever he does, it's all 100 percent, go hard. So that's what I got from him."
[ALSO READ: Kieffer Alas-led Phenom Blue Fire, Arellano complete NBTC Nationals 32-team pool]
His takeaway from the camp? Humility.
“Probably that I'm not going to be the best player everywhere I go. So I have to learn how to play through and play with my other teammates,” said Kieffer, a two-time UAAP juniors Mythical Team member.
Lessons are what Kieffer brings with him as he pursues his US hoops goals, and he also got one from former Ateneo ace Kiefer Ravena.
His dad Louie set up a lunch for them two years ago.
[ALSO READ: Kiefer Ravena stays true to his roots, continues to support Ateneo and Gilas Pilipinas]
Who could give his son better advice than the player who himself explored opportunities abroad and is now living his dream in the Japan B.League?
“He's a good guy to take advice from because off the court, he's a good guy. And on the court, we already know how he is. He's a good point guard. He can do almost everything,” said Kieffer.
“[He gave me a] similar advice as my dad: ‘Stay humble, stay grounded.’ Because it's really one of the most important things talaga daw, if you want to get big in this industry.”
[WATCH: Mozzy and Dani Ravena talk about fashion, dreams and bashers | OS Profiles]
And what better way to live out the value of humility than by looking inward and assessing the areas where one can improve.
As for Kieffer, he believes that he could still work on the mental aspect of his game.
“I think it's the mental aspect. I feel like physically, I'm capable. But there are times when I could be down, I lose confidence or I'm not feeling it,” admitted Kieffer.
“You know that feeling when you just don't want to play, that something’s just bothering you? So, I think it's the mental aspect talaga."
Guiding him with that in Layton is chief tactician Casey Stanley, who has 15 years of coaching experience in the US NCAA Division 1.
Kieffer headed to the US last August and is already suiting up for Layton.
While Kieffer is pretty confident with his defensive skills, he looks forward to improving this aspect of his game under Stanley.
“He takes a lot of pride in the defense of his teams. So, I guess I'm excited for that,” said Kieffer.
“Because, you know, dito sa Philippines, halos every team does full-court press. So, it's pretty similar with his team.”
Looking ahead
Kieffer has just taken the first step toward his US dream by playing for Layton, but he admitted to having some unfinished business in the UAAP.
“Most scouts say I've done everything in my power. I won MVP, but it really hurts na hindi kami nag-Final Four in the years I've played sa Zobel,” said Kieffer.
Instead of wallowing in regret, he will use this hunger as fuel to keep aiming for nothing but the championship trophy in any team he plays for, especially if his wings carry him back to his home country.
“If ever I come back to the Philippines, that's what I want to do. I want to bring a championship to wherever I go,” said Alas.
For now, while there were universities that tried to convince him to stay, he will answer the call of his dream, which is just too loud to ignore.
“Yeah (there are offers from local universities). Pero it's hard to let go of that dream because it only comes once, ‘di ba? That opportunity,” Kieffer said.
"After Layton... Let's see. Hopefully, I play in the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) then get the Division 1 offer. So, that's really my main vision right now."
With reports from Kristina Villanueva; Interview by Jan Ballesteros; Photos by RM Chua, assisted by Xander Cipriano and Jan Ballesteros; Produced by Kristina Villanueva
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Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.