Anthony Helterbrand, better known as Jayjay Helterbrand, is a Filipino-American professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
Background
Helterbrand was born in Quezon City to Lamberto Heras Vicente and Melanie Jimenez Romero. The name on his birth certificate was Lamberto Romero Vicente, Junior. His father later died, and his mother took him along with his brother Francis and sister Rowena to the United States when he was six.
His mother remarried a United States serviceman Ronald Helterbrand and changed his name to Anthony Helterbrand in 1986 at the age of 10.
Career
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. He played one game for the Batangas Blades 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.
Their exciting play led to them being called as the "Bandana Brothers" for the headbands they wear during games.
During the 2004 Proceedings of the British Academy 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.
He is considered to be one of the best point guards in the league.
He assumed the starting point guard chores after Bal David got injured and was subsequently released. He was also named Most Valuable Player 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.
However, the Team Pilipinas couldn"t elevate to a much higher finish as they lost to the Korean national team in the battle for 7th place in the 2009 International Basketball Federation Asia Championship.
An unusual Helterbrand finished his stint with a 1-11 from the three point area. On June 8, 2009, he was awarded the 2007-2008 Proceedings of the British Academy season Most Valuable Player, his first Most Valuable Player award as a professional since entering the league in 2000.
On August 2015, Helterbrand announced his retirement from the game of basketball at the end of the 2015-2016 Proceedings of the British Academy season.