Kieffer Alas leaves for Australia in pursuit of US NCAA spot

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UAAP boys MVP Kieffer Alas hopes to take his game to the next level in his hunt for an NCAA Division 1 scholarship as he joins a training camp organized by a professional Australian team

MANILA, Philippines – Kieffer Alas will begin his pursuit of an NCAA Division 1 basketball scholarship as he starts a month-long training camp in Perth, Australia, this weekend.

Alas, the UAAP Season 87 boys’ basketball Most Valuable Player, said that he will be focusing on several aspects of his game during the training camp.

“I’m going to work more on my point guard skills,” the 18-year-old told Rappler.

“I will work on my stamina, with the way how I bring the ball down, and how I facilitate, but also maintaining my scoring mentality as well,” added Alas, saying he also needs to improve his defense.

He will undergo a training camp organized by National Basketball League 1 West club team Warwick Senators under the tutelage of head coach Andrew Cooper.

According to Alas, his father Louie, who is currently a deputy for the Ateneo Blue Eagles, got connected with Warwick through Rob Beveridge, a former interim coach with the Aussie Boomers.

Following his Australian journey, Alas will rest for about a month in the Philippines before heading to Utah to enroll at Layton Christian Academy, one of the top high school teams in the United States.

According to Alas, he will be accompanied by his parents for a few months before treading on this path.

Citing a connection set up by coach Paolo Layug and scout Theodore Chan, Alas was able to talk to Layton Christian Academy head coach Casey Stanley virtually.

“It’s a good feeling, actually, because they’re known as one of the best schools in the entire country,” said Alas.

“We know how big the States is. So I just feel extremely blessed. The main goal is to get the state championship and get that D1 offer.”

He added that he is not looking to play in any Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) squad, where hastily-formed teams play in pocket tournaments across the country.

One of the reasons why Alas chose Layton Christian Academy is the school’s willingness to let the crafty guard play for Gilas Pilipinas if the opportunity presents itself.

Alas had been one of the stars of the Gilas Youth program, although he missed the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup due to a knee injury.

Sidelined for four months, Alas was able to rebound well from the injury, starring for the La Salle-Zobel Junior Archers earlier this year.

Although he was not able to lead La Salle-Zobel to the UAAP title, Alas put up averages of 20.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.

He was also named to the Mythical Five in the 2025 NBTC National Finals after helping lead Phenom Blue Fire-Pasay to a runner-up finish in the Division 1 tournament. – Rappler.com