Calvo says Guam needs to be aggressive in rematch vs Gilas

Title Guam's Coach Calls for Aggressive Play in Rematch Against Gilas

As the curtain closes on the first window of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, Guam coach EJ Calvo is already looking ahead to the rematch against Gilas Pilipinas. Despite his team's 41-point defeat at the hands of the Filipinos, Calvo remains optimistic and has issued a stern warning Guam needs to be more aggressive in their next encounter.

We want to play at this level, Calvo said after the game. We believe we belong at this level of basketball. But this is what you will encounter – not only quality players, just a lot of experience, and whatever we do at them, they were able to handle.

Calvo acknowledged that his team's lack of physicality and rebounding prowess was a major factor in their loss. We have to rebound better, he emphasized. That's not really a personnel issue. Earnest is a good rebounder, but we're not physical enough and that's something we don't like as a team.

The disparity in rebounding was stark, with Gilas dominating the boards 61-36. June Mar Fajardo and Quentin Millora-Brown finished with 10 rebounds apiece for the Philippines.

Calvo's main objective is to have his team regroup and come out aggressively in their next encounter. We just need to regroup, he said. When we go to a game, we got pushed around or we failed to engage and hit first on shots, which led to their high percentage of putbacks.

The Gilas bigs took advantage of Guam's shorter front court, with AJ Edu adding eight boards in the win. Calvo knows that his team needs to be more physical and competitive if they hope to spring an upset.

The stage is set for a thrilling rematch at the Blue Eagle gym inside the Ateneo campus on December 1st. Can Guam turn things around and give Gilas a run for their money? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain – Calvo's team needs to be more aggressive if they hope to succeed.

Keywords FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, Gilas Pilipinas, Guam national basketball team, EJ Calvo, rebounding, physicality, Quentin Millora-Brown

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