08 Sep 2025
The teenage nephew of Caledonia Gladiators men's basketball team head coach Jonny Bunyan is making his own inroads into the sport - starring for the club and Scotland at youth level.
Jay Bunyan, 14, whose dad Keith Bunyan was also a legendary player for the club, has been surrounded by basketball from a very young age.
And aspiring point guard Jay is now carving out a name for himself in the sport after being chosen to play for the club at high performance level and making his debut for Scotland at under 15 level.
Jay, of Polmont, Falkirk, said: “It’s been amazing getting the chance to play for Scotland and Caledonia Gladiators.
“It’s always been my dream to play the sport. Growing up in a basketball household, it has been a big part of my life from a young age. My dad and uncle have been great inspirations and coaches.
“It’s really exciting and I’d love to be a professional player when I’m older, but I know you’ve got to take it one step at a time.”
The 6ft tall Graeme High School pupil, who also plays for local team Falkirk Fury at youth level, follows in the footsteps of dad Keith and Jonny, with the Bunyan family’s connection to the Gladiators stretching back more than two decades.
Keith, 48, was a shooting guard who played for the Gladiators under their former name Glasgow Rocks and helped the club win the Super League Basketball Play-Offs in the 2002–03 season.
Keith’s younger brother Jonny, 33, later captained the side to their first silverware in two decades when they won the Super League Basketball Trophy final in 2022/23. Jonny played more than 400 times for the side and was appointed permanent men’s head coach at the club this summer.
Jay has begun training with the basketball franchise at their Playsport arena in recent months and was capped for his country at under 15 level in the Four Nations Tournament in Manchester earlier this summer. In the tournament against England, Wales and Ireland, Jay played more minutes than any other Scottish young men’s player.
Keith said: “Jay’s been around the game since he was tiny, watching me and Jonny play.
“He showed promise even from a very young age, so it’s been great to see how he’s progressed.
“He’s put in a huge amount of work on and off the court, and just loves the game like we do.
“We’re not putting any pressure on him, and just hope he continues to enjoy playing.”
Jay lives with dad Keith, 48, mum Diane, 45, and younger brother Josh, 11, who is also showing promise at basketball and other sports.
Men’s head coach Jonny added: “We’re all really proud of Jay and the progress he’s made. Basketball has been a huge part of our family life so it feels only natural for Jay and Josh to follow in those footsteps and we’re all really excited about their potential.
“It’s been great to have him involved at Caledonia Gladiators and I know he’s learned a lot from the coaching he’s had here. Hopefully one day we’ll see him in the pro line up representing the country.”
Caledonia Gladiators runs weekly clubs from the age of five and, earlier this year, launched a new development team, Caledonia Blues, as it looks to support younger players into professional basketball – part of its overall mission to build a basketball nation.
The second team works as a stepping stone to the professional men’s and women’s teams, allowing young people to train like elite athletes with the goal of eventually making the Caledonia Gladiators’ first team.
Caledonia Gladiators are set to welcome fans back to their 1600 seater arena in the coming weeks as the 2025/25 season gets underway on 21 September. To find out more and secure a seat, visit www.caledoniagladiators.com.
Pictured: Jay Bunyan pictured with Caledonia Gladiators men’s coach and uncle Jonny Bunyan (left) and dad Keith Bunyan (right), who also previously starred for the club.
