Alas secures Aussie training gig

Kieffer Alas, the biggest prospect in Philippine basketball, will be training with a National Basketball League 1 West (NBL1 West) team in Australia after his stint in the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC).

Kieffer’s father, veteran coach Louie Alas, told DAILY TRIBUNE that the 18-year-old will be working out with NBL 1 West side Warwick Senators.

Alas is leaving for Perth during the last week of April or early-May.

Alas is coming off a grueling campaign in the NBTC National Finals where he led Phenom BlueFire-Pasay from the wildcard round until the final.

Unfortunately, they lost to the Byron Scott-mentored Fil-Am Nation Select, 59-64, in the final last Sunday.

“He will train with the main team of Warwick for at least one month,” the elder Alas said.

“Actually, I really want to improve his skills and his quickness because I can see the basketball IQ of the child. He can still improve.”

Former Australia men’s basketball team interim coach Rob Beveridge helped out Alas in getting the training stint Down Under.

Beveridge took over from Brian Goorjian back in 2022 during the Boomers’ FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers campaign.

“Coach Rob Beveridge is helping us and he’s a former national coach in the national team of Australia. He helped us set up in Warwick,” the elder Alas said.

“Beveridge set us up in Warwick. He (Alas) will practice in the team where he can adapt.”

Although he is not playing Down Under, Alas’ training is expected to do wonders for him.

For one, Gilas Pilipinas big man Kai Sotto, who is now playing for the Koshigaya Alphas in the Japan B.League, first tested his mettle in the NBL with the Adelaide 36ers from 2021 to 2023.

Gilas Women star Jack Animam also suited up for the Ringwood Hawks last year in the NBL1.

The elder Alas, who is an assistant coach at Ateneo de Manila University, said they can accommodate his son’s stay should they be there for a bit longer before flying to the United States for the Amateur Athletic Union.