GUAM PUTS UP FIGHT AGAINST JAPAN

By Jay Leon Guerrero

“Here comes Guam”. It’s been the motto for the Guam Men’s National Basketball Team. It’s printed on their warm-up shirts.

Guam hosted powerhouse Japan Sunday afternoon at the UOG Calvo Field House in pool play (Pool C) of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifier in the biggest international game hosted by Guam ever.

At the end of regulation, Japan won the game 83-78 and avoided a comeback by Guam. Although this goes down as a loss against the second ranked team in Asia, Team Guam held its head high and fought until the final buzzer.

“I’m proud of the way the team continued to fight. As a coach, it’s a good feeling to see the team compete like that,” said Guam head coach EJ Calvo.

In the first half, Guam was losing the battle of the boards, and Japan capaitlized on second chance points. But Team Guam dug deep, much to the delight of the home crowd, and nearly pulled off an upset late in regulation.

Japan is ranked second in Asia and 21st in the world while Guam is ranked 80th in the world. It was a battle of David vs. Goliath. Guam was an underdog, but in the end, Guam earned the respect of their opponent.

The Japanese team went up by as much as 19 points, and it looked like the visiting team was leaning towards a blowout heading into the fourth quarter.

Here Comes Guam

Small island, big heart. Team Guam was down 68-53 headed into the fourth quarter but went on a 12-0 run to start the comeback.

With 2:52 remaining in regulation, Guam ties the game at 71-71. Ernest Ross, Jericho Cruz, and Jonathan Galloway all scored for Guam, forcing Japan’s head coach Tom Hovasse to burn two timeouts during the run.

The crowd was on their feet at the Field House. The Japanese team felt some pressure, but a huge “and-1” lay-up by Japan’s Joshua Hawkinson put Japan up 74-71.

Guam’s Takumi Simon answered with a mid-range jumper to trim the lead to 74-73. On the ensuing possession, Japan’s Yudai Nishida sank a clutch three-pointer to make it a two possession game.

After a missed shot by Guam’s forward, Ben Borja, Hawkinson, made another “and-1” lay up, and Japan went ahead 80-73 with 90 seconds remaining.

Simon would make a three-pointer, but Guam was forced to foul the rest of the way with time ticking away.

Hawkinson led Japan with 13 points, a game-high 16 rebounds, and four blocks. Nishida led Japan in scoring with 21 points.

Hawkinson and Guam’s Simon were former teammates for the Shinshu Brave Warriors in Japan’s B League, and the two reconnected here on Guam.

“Yes, Takumi (Simon) took me around, and we ate at a good local restaurant, Kings. Although we are both playing with different clubs, we still keep up, and I wish him well,” said Hawkinson. 

Ross led Team Guam with a game high 30 points and 10 rebounds. Cruz had 13 points and dished out five assists. Simon had 11 points, and Galloway had 10 points and nine rebounds.

Ross said he was glad to put on a show for the home crowd and thanked the fans for their energy, which helped the team during their comeback. “All credit also goes to my teammates. When I started to get going, they kept looking for me, and that’s when some of those shots went down,” said Ross.

“We fell behind, and we didn’t quit. We had our ups and downs, but we pulled together during those tough times,” said Calvo. “Tonight, we had some struggles, but they continued to play hard, and that’s what matters most to me.”

Japan improves to 4-0 in Pool C of the 2025 Asia Cup qualifier, Guam falls to 1-2, with its lone victory against Mongolia earlier this year.

What’s next for Guam?
“Next year is going to be a big year for us. We still have a big game against a tough Mongolia team in February and then a rematch versus China,” said Calvo. “A victory against Mongolia will bring us one step closer to qualifying for the Asia Cup, and that would be historic for Guam.”

NOTE: Guam has hosted Philippine Basketball Association pro games and (South) Pacific Games gold medal games, but none at this magnitude.

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