JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia) – For years, Guam’s basketball dream has been about proving they belong on Asia’s biggest stage. On Friday night, that dream became history.
In only their second FIBA Asia Cup game ever, Guam’s 82-73 win over Syria wasn’t just a victory. It was a statement. For head coach EJ Calvo, it was the culmination of over a decade of persistence.
"This game will go down in history for our program," Calvo said. "We didn’t just want to enjoy the experience of being here. We wanted to make a statement. We belong at this level."
Calvo, who has guided the team for 13 years, often tells his players they are playing "the biggest game in Guam basketball history." After the final buzzer against Syria, that line finally rang truer than ever.
Jericho Cruz called it a "hard fight" but credited their chemistry for seeing them through.
"We’ve barely had practices together," he confessed. "But we’ve played together for so long. The chemistry is there. I hope the Guam community are proud of us."
Veteran Tai Wesley could barely hold back tears.
"It’s surreal. It’s been a long, long road," he reflected. "But it doesn’t end here. We're going to keep pushing the bar."
That road, Calvo hopes, will now be travelled by a new generation.
"Our number one job is to inspire our island. We’ve got a good youth program. Now, the young generation will see it’s possible," he said.
Representing an island of under 200,000 people, Guam’s players know their impact stretches beyond the scoreboard. Each basket, each defensive stop, is part of a larger mission, which is to show what’s possible and to leave the program in stronger hands for the future.
"This is just the beginning," said Calvo. "We’ll keep pushing, keep inspiring, so the next generation will take it even further than us."
FIBA