TALL BLACKS TOO TALL, TOO MUCH FOR GUAM

By Daniel Akimoto

The New Zealand Tall Blacks punctuated their second window of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers with a clinical 99–67 victory over Guam on Sunday night. While the scoreboard favored the visitors, the atmosphere inside the UOG Calvo Fieldhouse was defined by a mix of high-level competition and a sentimental goodbye to two pillars of the Guam program.

Andrew Dominates as Injuries Hamper Guam

New Zealand established their physical blueprint early, leading for over 38 minutes of the contest. The Kiwis’ defensive scheme effectively stifled Guam’s perimeter rhythm, forcing the home side into contested looks and building a 51–34 cushion by the half.

Jack Andrew was the engine for New Zealand, feasting in the paint to finish with a game-high 20 points and 9 rebounds. “I model my game around that—cleaning up the O-boards. Putback dunks and stuff get the team going, you know?” Andrew said of his performance. “For me, tonight was really fun.”

Guam’s uphill battle became steeper as they faced significant adversity on the bench. Star players Jericho Cruz and BJ Freeman both saw their nights end prematurely due to injuries. Despite the loss of offensive firepower, the home team found resilience in veteran Jonathan Galloway, who matched Andrew with 20 points, and Takumi Simon, whose 19 points kept the local crowd energized. However, a 30-point fourth-quarter explosion from the Tall Blacks ultimately put the game out of reach.

A Growing Respect

The matchup marked the Tall Blacks’ first return to the island since 2020. Though the rosters have evolved, the respect for Guam’s progression was evident.

“[Guam’s] talent pool is growing,” noted New Zealand veteran Reuben Te Rangi. “It’s always good playing against them.”

Tall Blacks head coach Judd Flavell echoed that sentiment, noting that his side did not take the matchup lightly. “We watched the Australia game the other day, so we came in with full respect for this Guam team,” Flavell said. “We knew this was going to be a challenge… for us, it was all about our defensive mindset.”

The End of an Era: Calvo and Blas Step Away

The night carried a heavy emotional weight as it marked the final appearance for Head Coach EJ Calvo and long-time national staple Joe Blas. The duo has been instrumental in elevating Guam from regional contenders to a respected force on the FIBA Asia stage.

“There is a bright future for Guam basketball,” said Calvo, who has spent years narrowing the gap between Guam and the “giants” of the region. “There was a time where we were almost in awe of our opponent—we are no longer in awe. We believe that we belong here.”

For Blas, a national team member since 2006, the night was about the legacy left for the next generation of “homegrown” talent.

“I’m proud of it. I hope that inspires a lot of kids to know that guys like me [and] Takumi had pretty successful careers, and we’re homegrown kids”, Blas said. “We’re kids who grew up and went to schools here – Some [of us played in] college and some had pro careers. I hope that inspires them to come out and push to represent the island cause there is opportunity here – I hope that if I did anything, I inspired somebody to go my path. Take the sport seriously and be successful in it.”

Blas’s parting message was a call to action for every young athlete on the island: “You can be successful playing sports here.” It was a final challenge to Guam’s youth to continue aspiring toward the highest level, proving that the path to the international stage starts at home.

Looking Ahead

The win moves New Zealand to a 2-2 record in Group A as they prepare to host the Philippines in the final window. Meanwhile, Guam (0-4) continues their quest for a breakthrough victory as they head to Australia for a daunting road test.

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