MANGILAO (Guam) - After Guam's game against China on February 23 in the third window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, Tai Wesley sat at the post-game press conference, grinning despite the pain.
His right hand, freshly taped, had endured a dislocated finger just days earlier in Mongolia. But after 32 points, 9 rebounds, and a performance for the ages against China, all he could do was laugh.
"I should have broke my finger earlier because I played awesome," Wesley joked.
At 39 years old, with a full-time job and four kids, Wesley had no business dominating against a towering Chinese frontline, particularly against 2.16M (7'1") rising prospect Yang Hansen. But the veteran forward wasn't ready to let the moment slip away. This wasn't just another game for Guam. This was survival.
And it wasn’t just any performance - it was arguably Wesley’s best game ever for Guam in a FIBA competition. His 32-point explosion was his FIBA career-high in scoring, and his efficiency rating of 39 tied his best-ever mark. He shot 13-for-21 from the field, battled in the paint against players nearly a foot taller, and stuffed the stat sheet with 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. Against a Chinese national team full of professional talents, Wesley turned back the clock and put on a masterclass.
It's like a drug, it’s a high… this is why I continue to play
Guam entered the final game of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers with their fate hanging in the balance. They had split their head-to-head series with Mongolia - each team winning by the exact same score - but the tiebreaker came down to how they performed against China. Despite the loss, Guam kept the margin tight enough to edge Mongolia for third place in Group C. It was a razor-thin escape, but it was enough.
Enough to keep the dream alive.
For Wesley, this wasn't just another stat-padding night in his storied FIBA career. It was a statement. A reminder that even after five years away from professional basketball, the fire still burned inside him.
"It's like a drug, it’s a high… this is why I continue to play," he said. "I'm 39, I have a desk job. But there's this high that just brings me back every single time because for moments like this, when you get to showcase against a professional team… I had my time in the summer, I was a professional basketball player, but I've been out for five years."
Yet here he was, playing like he never left.
Guam's fight for an Asia Cup debut now moves to the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifying Tournament for Third-Placed Teams. They know this feeling all too well. In 2021, they fell heartbreakingly short in the same situation, losing on aggregate to Chinese Taipei on a last-minute basket at home. This time, they're on the road, heading to Taipei City with another chance at history.
Only two of the three teams - Guam, Chinese Taipei, and Thailand - will qualify for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 from this tournament. And if history is any indicator, Guam knows exactly who they want to take down. Three years ago, Chinese Taipei ended Guam's Asia Cup dreams on their home floor. Now, Guam has a chance to return the favor, to flip the script and clinch their long-awaited Asia Cup debut in front of Chinese Taipei's home crowd.
It’s a familiar challenge but with a different script. This time, Guam is determined to rewrite the ending.
For Wesley, this could be the last chapter. But if his performance against China was any indication, he's not ready to close the book just yet. And neither is Guam.
The dream is still alive.
FIBA