In August, Guam made its debut at the FIBA Asia Cup and, led by Jericho Cruz and Tai Wesley, shocked Syria to notch its first-ever win in the regional meet. On Friday, November 28, the team will make another debut, this time in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.
Perhaps fittingly, Guam will make its FIBA World Cup Qualifiers debut in Guam at the Calvo UOG Fieldhouse in Mangilao. And it will do so against a team that is intimately familiar to Jericho Cruz, one of Guam’s stalwarts. That team is none other than the Philippines, a.k.a. Gilas Pilipinas.
Jericho Cruz Headlines Team Guam
Filipino hoops fans are, of course, familiar with Jericho Cruz, the 2016 PBA Most Improved Player and reigning PBA Philippine Cup Finals MVP. The four-time champion will be bannering Guam in this home-and-home against Gilas Pilipinas, and he will surely be a marked man.
But Guam is more to Guam than just Jericho Cruz. Forward Tai Wesley, a 6-foot-4 former U.S. NCAA Division I stalwart for Utah State, is a terrific scorer, having led Guam in this department in the FIBA Asia Cup. Wesley averaged 17.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in Saudi Arabia on 55.6% shooting overall and 42.9% from downtown, underscoring his marksmanship and scoring ability.
Another U.S. NCAA Division I alumnus, Jonathan Galloway, will be testing Gilas Pilipinas’ bigs. The 6-foot-11 Galloway has been a pillar of Guam’s frontcourt since joining in 2019, providing size and muscle inside. He averaged 10.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers and 6.8 points and 7.0 rebounds in the FIBA Asia Cup.
Guard Takumi Simon could also be a difference-maker for Guam after averaging 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in the FIBA Asia Cup. Other players confirmed to see action for Guam in this window are Tomas Calvo, Joe Blas, Mark Johnson, Daren Hechanova, and Matt Fegurgur.
Guam to Add to Final Lineup Soon
According to Guam coach EJ Calvo, he will be naming the rest of the lineup as November 28 draws near.
One player to watch moving forward would be Earnest Ross Jr., Guam’s fourth-leading scorer in the FIBA Asia Cup at 11.5. At 6-foot-5, Ross would add depth and talent to Guam’s wing rotation and a proven scorer as he also put up 18.1 points in eight games in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
(Watch as Guam notches its historic first win at the FIBA Asia Cup.)
