“EVERY gift is a boomerang; it returns to the giver in blessing.”
This saying deeply holds true for Cagayan de Oro native and erstwhile Ballpals president BB James Abucejo who keeps thriving in US basketball despite his being a “golden boy” already at past 50.
Opening the Year 2022 in a bang, the former COC- Liceo de Cagayan varsity standout Abucejo – whose yearly outreach program in Cagayan de Oro benefited over 100 poor children and young ballers last December – won his fourth MVP trophy.
This, after Abucejo spearheaded the All-Filipino Black Team to a 45-36 victory against the Red Team Mexicano in the recently-held HTBAL Filhoops Pinoy League championship game in Houston, USA where he topscored with 24 points.
It was Abucejo’s first MVP in the 50-up division.
He also previously bagged the 42-up, 46-up and 47-up citations, while playing for Junior Limo team in the Greater Houston League and PINOY Basketball League since migrating with his family in the Land of Promise in 2017.
“I think age is just a number basta desiplinado lang and share permi sa blessings uban ang pag-ampo sa kahitas-an nga mao gyod atong saligan,” Abucejo told Gold Star Daily through Facebook messenger.
Last Christmas, Abucejo’s young hoop disciples went to Zone 10 along Burgos street in Cagayan de Oro to give stuff toys and feed around 80 children with packed food from McDonald’s.
“Happy kaayo among mga silingan ilabi na sa mga apektado sa pandemya ug bag-ohay lang nga bagyo kay gipit ilang budget nga makakaon og lami,” then said Joel Go, who led in distributing the foods and give aways in the company of fellow Baby James Camp hoopsters Austine Mutya, Deither Quijada, Charles Abada, KB Ebabacol, Rolito Bardos, Ryan Maghanoy, Noel Montil, Kenneth Macasarte, Ron Tan-awon and Acoy Pailago.
A bundle filled with several pair of shoes from Abucejo and his Pinoy-led sports organization in Houston were also distributed.
“Dako kaayo'g kapuslanan ang mga sapatos kanamo nga adunay ambisyon nga molambo pinaagi sa among basketball skills,” added Montil, the pointguard of Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School.
During college days, Abucejo also made it to the senior varsity teams of South Western University Cobras in Cebu and Philippine Christian University Dolphins in Manila.
“Dako kaayo nakong pasalamat sa among fellow Filipino team manager, Boss Junior Villanueva of Junior Limo sa iyang pagsalig. Siya ang among inspirasyon dire nga padayon ang paugnat sa kusog ug makapadala'g grasya sa atong mga budding players sa Cagayan de Oro,” Abucejo said.
