Ambassador Joe to inspire Guam

Joe Blas is known as the face of Guam basketball, the island’s ambassador of hoops.

- By JOAQUIN M. HENSON

He’s played for the Guam national team since 2009 and surprisingly at 37, he’s not the oldest player on the squad that will host Gilas in the FIBA World Cub Asia qualifying window at the Calvo Fieldhouse today. The senior status belongs to 6-7 Tai Wesley who averaged 17.7 points and 7.7 rebounds for Guam at the recent FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah.

Blas didn’t play in Jeddah but logged eight games, hitting 4.6 points an outing, at the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers. Back in 2009 at the Oceania Championships in Saipan, 6-3 Blas averaged 15.8 points. He's not as prolific now but still an inspiring force for Guam. Blas, who owns a barber stop in the island, is a fan favorite and will surely get the crowd on its feet during the Gilas game.