CAGAYAN de Oro’s popular ball clubs Ballpals and Subokin were not remiss in remembering the 9th Death Anniversary of local hoop icon Roldan ‘Pangkoy’ Lagbas.
The annually-held Memorial Cup, after being canceled twice due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was finally restored this year with a basketball game and a sumptuous dinner party at the clubhouse of Patag golf course recently.
“After nine years, solid gihapon inyong grupo wala ninyo siya kalimti ug kahibalo ko nga happy na siya didto,” said Susan, the widow of former Provincial Board member of Misamis Oriental who met his tragic end during the infamous 2013 bombing incident outside the mall in Cagayan de Oro that claimed the lives of six persons and injured 37 others.
She also thanked erstwhile Claveria mayor Paul Douglas ‘Rocky’ Calingin of Subokin and past Ballpals president Ven Camon Shimomae for the well-organized tribute to his late husband who was a pillar in both club institutions.
In 2019 when the dreaded virus was still not an issue, Subokin defeated Ballpals, 68-64 at the Xavier Estates gym.
This year’s friendly match at the Camp Evangelista gymnasium was a different story.
With Jojo Mahistrado and Jerome Acebron challenging Subokin’s huge tandem of Erwin Raagas and Samboy Uy at the posts, Ballpals had capitalized its quickness and speed off the backcourts to eke out a convincing 83-73 victory as Bryan Gayramara also outdueled Bobby Diaz from the three-point arc.
“It was a great game and memorable bonding with our Subokin brothers who are also Ballpals mainstays in some other time depending on (the) situation,” said dinner sponsor Shimomae.
Roldan’s son Dodan Lagbas was not around but left a heartfelt message to his much older fellow ballers.
“Maayong hapon.
Uban ni Mama Susan, Kuya Wawang, Budik, Monkey, ug sa tibouk pamilya Lagbas, among dako nga pasalamat sa tibouk Subokin ug Ballpals family sa inyong pag dumdum ug pag mahal sa inyong Pare, Pangkoy ug Sio.
Kung kabalo lang mo, madungog lang namo inyong katawa, makita lang namo inyong mga ngisi, igo nalang mi mu piyong, mabatian na namo ang presensya ni papa.
Si papa was our everything. And we thought we had lost him totally. Pero para sa amo, we know he left pieces of him pinaagi sa inyo. Continue to be the ideal (father) to all your children. Keep safe and God bless. Again, thank you very much. Gamba na.”
Already, the Lagbas family had pledged to host next year’s basketball tiff in Sugbongcogon.
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