
By Robert Balajadia
FIBA Oceania President, former FIBA President, Bob Elphinston and FIBA Oceania Secretary General David Crocker visited the Tiyan gym Tuesday afternoon to observe the facility as a reconstruction project has been proposed to restore the gym. Both Officials are here part of the ONOC meetings currently taking place all week at the Leo Palace Resort.
The gym was used as a shelter during Typhoon Pongsona in 2002 and never got back to form. The Guam Basketball Confederation plans to restore the gym, with the help of the community, which will give Guam Basketball a proper training facility.
Both Elphinston and Crocker were optimistic after their tour of the gym while both agreed that the structure of the gym grants a wide range of possibility and needs a great deal of support from the community, government, and olympic committee.

FIBA Oceania President Bob Elphinston exams the weight room and back entrance. (photo by Robert Balajadia)
“First of all, this place is structurally sound. There will be a lot of work that needs to be done, but also importantly there is the funding aspect. FIBA Oceania is prepared to assist but there is not a lot of money in our facilities fund. Clearly they need to get support from the government or olympic committee because this could be a wonderful opportunity as a basketball training center,” said Elphinston.

FIBA Oceania Secretary General David Crocker discusses plans with Guam Basketball Confederation’s President Tony Thompson. (photo by Robert Balajadia)
“It’s great to see there is a vision for this solid foundation. It’s a great opportunity to galvanize support from the community and even FIBA ourselves. We too need to get in behind this venture and make this vision come to reality. Doing the tidy is an ambition that we can deliver on,” commented Crocker.
Guam Basketball Confederation’s Tony Thompson, Sid Guzman, and Jon Lujan led the tour for the FIBA officials and explained the steps they are going to be taking to restore the facility.
The first order of business would be to restore power back to the gym. Then the implication of flooring and backboards would then be need inserted while also finding a way to gain control of the gym by closing it to prevent further vandalism.
The restoration process can be done optimistically between 8-12 months. A weight room and FIBA office are also in the planning of the gyms restoration.


GPS Sports Calendar
December 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for November
1st
ISA BOYS SOCCER
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
2nd
IRON LEGENDS THROWDOWN
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Events for December
4th
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER
ISA BOYS SOCCER
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
5th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for December
5th
Events for December
7th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS
Events for December
9th
40th GRC PLUMERIA ROAD RACE
GUAM RUGBY INTERNATIONAL 7s TOURNAMENT
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
Events for December
10th
TOUR OF GUAM 2023
GUAM RUGBY INTERNATIONAL 7s TOURNAMENT
Events for December
11th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for December
12th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
12th
Events for December
14th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER FINALS
Events for December
15th
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL FINALS
Events for December
16th
3rd GUAM NINJA CHAMPIONSHIP
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Events for December
16th
Events for December
18th
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER ALL-ISLAND MEETING
Events for December
19th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
19th
Events for December
23rd
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
ISA HS BASEBALL FINALS
Events for December
23rd
Events for December
24th
Events for December
25th
Events for December
27th
Events for December
29th
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Events for December
30th

Baseball
ROYALS DOWN FRIARS IN STATEMENT GAME

Basketball
3×3 HOOPS REPEAT AS GOLDEN BOYS

Basketball
RAPADAS LEADS WILD COUGAR COMEBACK

Baseball
GUAM HOSTS KIWIS IN U15 BASEBALL

Basketball
SHARKS FEND OFF DOLPHINS IN GIRLS HOOPS

Baseball
ROYALS DOWN FRIARS IN STATEMENT GAME
COMING SOON …
- IIAAG Girls Basketball Playoffs