At the early age of 12, Braedon Gupilan-Holts, Justin Brownlee Jr., and Joe de Vance III had already been identified as the future of Philippine basketball.
The three kids used to play together or against each other in several leagues and pick up games. All of them are of the same age and stand 5-foot-9.
Gupilan-Holts is the son of former Philippine women’s basketball team player Shelley Gupilan.
Just like what she had done in the past, Shelley wants her son to represent the Philippines in major international basketball tournaments and that’s why the former cagebelle had already processed the proper documentation that will make his son eligible to play as a local player.
Both of them are now based in California, USA.
“He’s now in Sixth Grade at the American School of English, Math and Science,” wrote Gupilan in an online interview with Pinoystep.com.
“That’s always something I want him to do (train for Batang Gilas). Of course, we would want all three of the boys to be able to join if that option ever crossed our paths. All of them have Philippine passports.”
The players Gupilan was referring was his son, Joe Devance’s kid and Braedon’s teammate, Isaiah Jackson.
Gupilan-Holts is currently playing in local leagues here.
He’ll return to the US, but will be back in July to represent Naga City in the Palarong Pambansa in Cebu.
According to Shelley, his son used to play regularly against the kids of Brownlee and Devance.
“Braedon plays against them all the time,” added Gupilan.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Erika Dy said players as young as Gupilan-Holts, Justin Jr., and Devance III will have to undergo the talent identification program now being handled by basketball legend and PBA grand slam coach Norman Black.
“They need to be put in an Elite camp where young players will develop their skills,” added Dy.
Black is no stranger to teaching youth basketball with his Burlington Basketball Tips, which became a popular segment in the PBA during the 1980s to early 1990s.
