The girls of Team Guam got off to a fast start Thursday in the FIBA 3X3 U17 Asia Cup 2022 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but lost their last two games to finish the day 1-2, which led to their elimination.
In the tournament opener, the Guam Women’s U17 team defeated a tough Samoa squad, dropping the No. 12-seeded Samoans 16-12 in Qualifying Pool B play. In the next two games, also played Thursday, Guam lost to Singapore, 19-11, then to Jordan, 13-10.
Team Guam consists of Kailie Joy Tajalle Celo, Jada Han, Alura Naiome-Tenorio Hernandez and Jasmine Morante Samson.
Against Samoa, Han led the way with 8 points. Hernandez scored a second-best 4 points, while Samson and Tajalle Cell chipped in with 2 points apiece.
Although the game was close, Samoa’s only scoring threat, Hildegard Matthes, scored all but 2 of her team’s points. Guam couldn’t contain Matthes, but did enough to squeak by Samoa.
In Guam’s second game, a lopsided affair against Singapore, Guam was no match for the faster Singaporeans, who drove to the basket and lit it up from deep.
Hernandez finished with 5 points, Han added 4 points and Tajalle Celo dropped in a deuce.
Sharing the wealth and hitting on all spots, Singapore’s Kayla Lim Yann Ying and Jovita Lee Jia En scored a co-game-high 6 points. Wan Shi Ting Dawn dropped half a dime and Denise Choo Syn Ee walked away with a deuce.
In Guam’s third game of the day, the girls fought hard against Jordan, but came up short. Leading Guam’s offensive effort, Han scored a game-high 6 points. Hernandez chipped in with 3 points and Tajalle Celo added a free throw.
For Jordan, Sara Mustafa Ibrahim Abu Shameh and Yusra Khaldoon Ahmad Azzam delivered co-team-high 5-point performances.
In Qualifying Draw B, Guam and Samoa were joined by Jordan and Singapore. With three teams in Draw A, Hong Kong, Thailand and Philippines rounded out the qualification draws.
Only the top team from each draw advanced to pool play.
With perfect records, Hong Kong and Singapore advanced to pool play, where they will join Uzbekistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Iran, Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Mongolia, India and Turkmenistan.
From each of the four pools, the top two teams will advance to a playoff bracket.
Blaise at his best
Team Guam also sent a boys team, consisting of Blaise Ada, Ralph Macaldo, Elpizo Orichiro and Raven Pascual.
In one of there most exciting matches of the tournament, Guam's boys lost a nail-biter to Hong Kong, 21-20. With about 30 seconds remaining in regulation, Hong Kong sank a pair of free throws for the win.
In the hard-fought defeat, Ada scored a game-high 13 points, including two shots from beyond the arc. Pascual finished with 5 points and Orichiro and Macaldo chipped in with 1 point apiece.
In Guam's second match, against a bigger, more physical Qatar, the boys lost 22-15.
Once again, Ada delivered a top performance, raining 2-pointers and leading the islanders with a co-game-high 10 points, all from beyond the arc.
"Probably one of the best shooters in this tournament," said the announcer, whose play-by-play commentary paired nicely with the livestreamed game on YouTube.
With all but 3 of Guam's points coming from deep, the taller Qatar team controlled the paint, giving up no free baskets, forcing Guam to the outside. Plugging up the lane, Quatar's big man, 6-foot-4 Sultan Ashraf Abuissa, made driving the lane nearly impossible for Team Guam. In addition to Abuissa's defensive might, he was a weapon on offense, scoring 7 points in the victory, including the game-winning 2-point shot from the top of the key.
With more than one scoring option, Qatar's Moustapha Ndao scored a co-game-high 10 points.
In Guam's third match of the day and the team's last one in the tournament, the boys ran into a buzz saw - Chinese Taipei.
With only 1 hour, 20 minutes between their games against Qatar and Chinese Taipei, Guam looked fatigued against the Chinese Taipei powerhouse. Although games are slated for 10 minutes or when a team scores 21 points, Guam was ousted 22-6 in less than six minutes.
Ada scored 3 points and Macaldo, Orichiro and Pascual scored 1 point apiece.
For Chinese Taipei, Chun-Yen Kuo scored a game-high 10 points. Teammate Wei-chieh dropped in 8 points.
Chen-Hui Tsao and Hao-Siang Yang each finished with 2 points.
Chinese Taipei, with its third straight win and no losses, advanced to the next round.
Guam, with three losses and no wins, has been eliminated.
