Overview:
From watching his basketball heroes at the 2010 Micronesian Games to helping Ngatpang capture a third straight Belau Games gold medal, Wallace Worswick's story is one of passion, perseverance and gratitude. The Palauan forward reflects on the people, moments and lessons that shaped his life through basketball.
By Laurel Marewibuel
KOROR, Palau — For Wallace Worswick, basketball has never been just a game. It has been a lifelong journey fueled by inspiration, discipline, friendship and a desire to give back.
The 27-year-old Palauan forward has represented his country since the age of 15, but his love for the sport began years earlier as a young fan watching his hometown heroes compete at the 2010 Micronesian Games in Palau.
“My dad took me to watch one of the basketball games,” Worswick recalled. “I remember watching Sunshine, Yutaka, Perry and even a young Jason Seid on the court. I saw the love and passion they had for the game and for their team, and I thought it was amazing. Since then, I tried to play basketball as much as I could.”
That moment sparked a passion that quickly became part of his daily routine.
During elementary school, Worswick spent countless hours refining his skills.
“I would be on the court early in the morning before school and there again right after school until late at night,” he said. “So, the passion started there, but I was still not that good up until high school.”
His basketball journey took a major turn in 2016 when he tried out for Palau’s 15-and-under junior national team and met youth coach Logan “Ganz” Ngiriou, whom Worswick credits with transforming both his game and his outlook on life.
“I was introduced to coach Logan ‘Ganz’ Ngiriou when I tried out for the 15 & under junior national team,” Worswick said. “During that time in training with him, I learned so much about basketball that my passion and love for the game grew even more. I am truly grateful I met coach Ganz because he showed me how to become a better basketball player and a better person.”
Today, Worswick is one of the veteran leaders of Ngatpang State’s men’s basketball team. Entering the 2026 Belau Games as defending champions, he said there was only one mission.
“As the defending gold medalist, we only had one goal. That goal was to win it again,” he said. “Just making it to the finals was not good enough for us. We were glad to be in the finals, but we knew the job was not finished. We still had to win one more game to complete the 3-peat.”
Ngatpang knew the championship would not come easily.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” Worswick said. “They have a lot of good players, very skilled players, but we were very confident, very focused and very ready to play Koror State in the gold medal match.”
When the final buzzer sounded and Ngatpang secured its third consecutive Belau Games gold medal, the victory became one of the defining moments of Worswick’s career—not simply because of the championship, but because of who shared it with him.
“Just winning the gold medal with this team,” he said. “Chama, Steven, Blelai and I have been best friends and teammates since high school, and we’ve been very successful together. We’ve played a lot of games together and we won a lot of games together.”
The championship carried even deeper meaning because it was shared with family.
“I got to win a gold medal with my cousin Cade and it was his first Belau Games,” Worswick said. “And just having my entire family there to witness the moment. And just to celebrate with friends, my girlfriend Shania and the Ngatpang supporters. Moments like these don’t come often enough, so I don’t take them for granted.”
Although Worswick expects his playing days to wind down over the next decade, he says basketball will always remain part of his life.
“In 10 years, I’ll probably be done playing basketball. I cannot see myself playing for that long, but I would like to still be around the game,” he said. “Try to give back to the youth. Share my knowledge with the next generations of hoopers in Palau.”
For Worswick, basketball has delivered much more than victories and medals.
“This round ball with a bunch of air inside has given me so many great memories,” he said. “I got to travel, compete in different tournaments, met a lot of people and made a lot of friends. I would like to help others experience these things because you learn a lot of great values like respect, hard work, determination and commitment just by playing this game.”
Those lessons—and the memories built along the way—are the legacy Worswick hopes to pass on, ensuring the same passion that inspired him as a young boy watching the Micronesian Games will continue to inspire the next generation of Palauan basketball players.