A TALENTED pair of basketball brothers are on the road to becoming Scottish stars after being selected for the national side.

Reuben and Ryan McNeill of Port Glasgow have both been called into the Scottish basketball set-up.

Reuben, 16, has also bagged a scholarship with a prestigious sports school.

Scotland newcomer Ryan, 13, will join his older brother, who has already represented Scotland on a number of occasions, at Basketball Scotland's national training camps in Dundee throughout the season.

Ryan has been selected for the under-16s squad, while Reuben plays at under 18 level.

The coveted Scotland shirts and the scholarship were fitting rewards for the hard work the pair put in to stay in shape over lockdown.

Unbeknownst to the boys' mother, Sharon Doherty, Reuben put himself forward for the scholarship to Myerscough College's basketball academy in Preston.

Sharon was shocked when Reuben told her he would be starting at the elite institution in September of this year.

Reuben, previously a pupil at St Stephen's High School, has since settled in to his new routine at the historic school.

Both boys have been playing basketball since a young age and starred together at the Erskine Eagles for several years.

But basketball isn't their only sport - the boys are also keen footballers and have been trained in judo from a young age by their grandfather, martial arts expert Joe Doherty.

Proud mum Sharon says she thrilled to see the boys doing so well.

She said: "I'm delighted, I've got three boys - Mark, Reuben and Ryan - and Mark has recently completed the Kiltwalk and now Reuben and Ryan have been called up for Scotland.

"Reuben was very good at football and basketball, but he's now settled on basketball as his sport - he's hoping that one day he can play in America.

"It's great, I'm so proud."

Reuben told the Tele he was proud of his younger brother winning a call-up and says he he appreciates the opportunity he has through his scholarship.

The young sportsman now has his fingers crossed that his hard work will net him a place on the national side's European tour next summer.