Jayjay Helterbrand
Encyclopedia
Anthony Jason James Helterbrand (born as Lamberto Romero Vicente, Jr. on October 14, 1976 in San Juan, Metro Manila
, Philippines
), better known as Jayjay Helterbrand, is a Filipino
professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association
for the Barangay Ginebra Kings
. Known by many as Helter Skelter, he is also known, along with backcourt tandem Mark Caguioa
, as one-half of the so-called, The Fast and the Furious.
to Lamberto Heras Vicente and Melanie Jimenez Romero. The name on his birth certificate was Lamberto Romero Vicente, Jr. His father later died, and his mother took him along with his brother Francis and sister Rowena to the US when he was six. His mother remarried a US serviceman Ronald Helterbrand and changed his name to Anthony Helterbrand in 1986 at the age of 10.
in the Metropolitan Basketball Association
before signing with the Barangay Ginebra Kings
in March 2000. He was recruited by Ginebra (by coach Ron Jacobs) to play back up for Bal David
as preparation to supplant him in the starting lineup.
Helterbrand started being noticed when he began coming into the game with eventual 2001 PBA Rookie of the Year Mark Caguioa
. Their exciting play led to them being called as the "Bandana Brothers" for the headbands they wear during games. During the 2004 PBA season, the fantastic duo were tagged as "The Fast and The Furious," the moniker has since been used to describe them. His tandem with Mark Caguioa
is one of the most popular and arguably the best backcourt tandem in the league history.
In 2003, he went back to the States after his first contract with Ginebra expired and negotiation for a new one fell through. He came back at the start of 2004 and was a major contributor in the team's back-to-back championships that year.
Injury sidelined him for five months at the start of 2005 but has mainly recovered and even won two MVP awards for the year, the Brunei Cup and the 2005 PBA All-Stars. He is considered to be one of the best point guards in the league.
After he returned to Ginebra, he quickly made an impact and was named the Comeback Player of the Year by the PBA Press Corps. He assumed the starting point guard chores after Bal David got injured and was subsequently released. He was also named MVP in Team Pilipinas' victorious run in the Sultan Cup in Brunei.
In 2008, he was again included in the RP Training Pool headed by Coach Yeng Guiao
.
In 2009, Helterband was awarded the Best Player of the Fiesta Conference for leading the Kings to the finals, and he eventually won the Season MVP. But those awards were put into waste as he could not carry Team Pilipinas to a much higher finish as they lost to the Korean national team in the battle for 7th place in the 2009 FIBA Asia Championship. Helterbrand finished his stint with a ridiculous 1-11 from the three point area.
On June 8, 2009, he was awarded the 2008-2009 PBA season MVP, his first MVP award as a professional since entering the league in 2000.
San Juan, Metro Manila
The City of San Juan or simply San Juan is a city in Metro Manila in the Philippines. Before the creation of Metro Manila, it was part of Rizal Province. Currently the smallest city in the region and the country in terms of area, San Juan is one of the smallest among the cities and municipalities...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
), better known as Jayjay Helterbrand, is a Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
for the Barangay Ginebra Kings
Barangay Ginebra Kings
The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation...
. Known by many as Helter Skelter, he is also known, along with backcourt tandem Mark Caguioa
Mark Caguioa
Mark Anthony Abaño Caguioa is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who plays for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
, as one-half of the so-called, The Fast and the Furious.
Early life
Helterbrand was born in Quezon CityQuezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
to Lamberto Heras Vicente and Melanie Jimenez Romero. The name on his birth certificate was Lamberto Romero Vicente, Jr. His father later died, and his mother took him along with his brother Francis and sister Rowena to the US when he was six. His mother remarried a US serviceman Ronald Helterbrand and changed his name to Anthony Helterbrand in 1986 at the age of 10.
PBA career
He played one game for the Batangas BladesBatangas Blades
The Batangas Blades is a former professional basketball team of the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association from 1998-2002....
in the Metropolitan Basketball Association
Metropolitan Basketball Association
The Metropolitan Basketball Association or Metroball was a professional basketball league in the Philippines founded in 1998.The MBA overtook the Philippine Basketball Association's plans on regionalization when the league adopted a home-and-away format where teams, instead of representing...
before signing with the Barangay Ginebra Kings
Barangay Ginebra Kings
The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation...
in March 2000. He was recruited by Ginebra (by coach Ron Jacobs) to play back up for Bal David
Bal David
Bal Viray David Jr is a retired professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association . He played as point guard for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
as preparation to supplant him in the starting lineup.
Helterbrand started being noticed when he began coming into the game with eventual 2001 PBA Rookie of the Year Mark Caguioa
Mark Caguioa
Mark Anthony Abaño Caguioa is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who plays for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
. Their exciting play led to them being called as the "Bandana Brothers" for the headbands they wear during games. During the 2004 PBA season, the fantastic duo were tagged as "The Fast and The Furious," the moniker has since been used to describe them. His tandem with Mark Caguioa
Mark Caguioa
Mark Anthony Abaño Caguioa is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who plays for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
is one of the most popular and arguably the best backcourt tandem in the league history.
In 2003, he went back to the States after his first contract with Ginebra expired and negotiation for a new one fell through. He came back at the start of 2004 and was a major contributor in the team's back-to-back championships that year.
Injury sidelined him for five months at the start of 2005 but has mainly recovered and even won two MVP awards for the year, the Brunei Cup and the 2005 PBA All-Stars. He is considered to be one of the best point guards in the league.
After he returned to Ginebra, he quickly made an impact and was named the Comeback Player of the Year by the PBA Press Corps. He assumed the starting point guard chores after Bal David got injured and was subsequently released. He was also named MVP in Team Pilipinas' victorious run in the Sultan Cup in Brunei.
In 2008, he was again included in the RP Training Pool headed by Coach Yeng Guiao
Yeng Guiao
Joseller "Yeng" Guiao is a Filipino professional basketball head coach for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippine Basketball Association, and was also the head coach of the Philippine National Basketball Team. Guiao won four PBA titles since starting his head coaching job for Swift in...
.
In 2009, Helterband was awarded the Best Player of the Fiesta Conference for leading the Kings to the finals, and he eventually won the Season MVP. But those awards were put into waste as he could not carry Team Pilipinas to a much higher finish as they lost to the Korean national team in the battle for 7th place in the 2009 FIBA Asia Championship. Helterbrand finished his stint with a ridiculous 1-11 from the three point area.
On June 8, 2009, he was awarded the 2008-2009 PBA season MVP, his first MVP award as a professional since entering the league in 2000.