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Guam loses to Mongolia by 11, but both teams still alive in FIBA Asia Cup qualification www.postguam.com
In a FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers Group C game, the Bank of Guam men’s national basketball team fell to Mongolia 74-63 on Thursday night at the University of Guam Calvo Field House in Mangilao.
“I want to say congratulations to my players. They gave everything inside, followed our plan, and I think we deserved to win,” Mongolia head coach Vasileios Fragkias said.
Earlier in the tournament, Guam defeated Mongolia by 11 points - on Mongolia’s home court. But in the latest matchup, Mongolia showcased aspects of its game that had been previously absent or dormant.
For the first two quarters and most of the third, Mongolia pushed the tempo, dominated defensively, drained shots and built a 21-point lead. The team burned through Guam’s defense, creating opportunities from beyond the arc and in the paint. In the first three quarters, Mongolia’s speed effectively neutralized Guam’s Jonathan Galloway, limiting his usual defensive dominance and shot-altering capabilities.
“I feel like Mongolia came out a lot more aggressive than they ever have in the past two games,” Team Guam’s Joe Blas Jr. said. “They played a lot faster, and I’d say they shot the ball a whole lot better than they've shown in the past. I don’t think we were ready for that right away.”
But later in the third quarter and into the final frame, Team Guam’s resilience sparked a comeback. Previously uncontested rebounds were secured, and Mongolian shooters faced tighter defense. With 13 of Earnest Ross Jr.’s 18 points coming in the second half, Guam’s offensive catalyst shifted the momentum. But as hard as Guam played, Mongolia matched the intensity.
Team Guam head coach EJ Calvo praised his team for “fighting back in a game that could have slipped away and getting to the point where we were still alive.”
Calvo said Guam’s first-half performance “wasn’t us.”
“I think our players were a little shocked by their speed. The tempo was very fast, and they really spread us out,” Calvo said. “When they penetrated the paint, we weren’t rotating fast enough, and we were giving up layups. That didn’t sit well with me or anyone on the team.”
Throughout the 40-minute contest, Mongolia’s Dulguun Gankhuyag frustrated Guam’s big men, Galloway and Tai Wesley. On inbounds plays and in the paint, the large-framed Gankhuyag used a hands-on, physical defensive style that elicited vocal protests from Galloway and Wesley, who pleaded for fouls - calls that rarely came. Gankhuyag finished with one personal foul, nine points and four rebounds.
“He’s a bulldozer,” said Mongolia’s Margad Erdenetsetseg, who had a team-high 16 points and nine rebounds.
Midway through the second half, after a battle for possession, Wesley tangled with a Mongolian player and took the worst of the exchange. In disbelief that the referees allowed such physical play, Wesley held up his pinky finger, which appeared misaligned, possibly broken or dislocated. Despite the injury, he finished with eight points, 12 rebounds, six assists and three blocks.
“We knew Mongolia was going to be a tough team. Every time we’ve played them, especially on their home court, it’s been a battle,” Calvo said. “We knew they were playing for survival in this qualification, and we were, too. We got a pretty good game from them tonight.”
As Guam inched closer to reclaiming the lead, Mongolia’s Enkhbayasgalan Amarbayasgalan was called for a flagrant foul - Mongolia’s first of the game - sending Galloway to the free-throw line for two shots. Both missed. Though the attempts wouldn’t have given Guam the lead, they factored into the Group C standings and the team’s chances of advancing. Galloway, one of Guam's leaders, finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Galloway wasn’t alone in missing free throws. The team shot 64.7% from the line, going 11-for-17. In the game’s final seconds, Wesley also missed a crucial free throw.
With Japan and China - Group C’s top two teams - already advancing to the FIBA Asia Cup Saudi Arabia 2025 tournament, the third-place team will move to the next qualification round.
Guam and Mongolia, both 1-4, have identical records and split their two meetings with identical 11-point margins. Statistically, they are in a deadlock, meaning their final games will determine their fate.
On Sunday, at 5 p.m., at UOG, Guam will take on China, which crushed Guam by 48 points in their first matchup. Also on Sunday, Mongolia will face Japan, which previously defeated Mongolia by 18 points.
After Guam’s and Mongolia’s final games, their futures will be decided. If Guam wins and Mongolia loses, Guam advances. If Mongolia wins and Guam loses, Mongolia moves on. If both win or both lose, statistical tiebreakers will determine which team advances and which sees its Asia Cup journey end.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen between them and Japan,” Blas said. “However that plays out, it’s out of our control.
“I want to approach the game the same way - come out, play hard and just try to win,” Blas said of Guam’s upcoming game against China.
Published Date:2025-02-21
