Faith first before basketball
USJ-R wingman Miguel Gastador is seen carrying the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus during the fire that destroyed homes in Barangay Hipodromo on Thursday afternoon.
USJ-R’s Gastador saves Holy Image from burning chapel before Cesafi game
Although the University of San Jose-Recoletos lost in Thursday’s Cesafi men’s basketball game against the University of San Carlos, Miguel Gastador still considers himself a big winner.
Just two hours before their scheduled 5 p.m. game against the Warriors, a fire broke out in Barangay Hipodromo in Cebu City, where Gastador, the reigning slam dunk champion of the Cesafi, and his family live.
Gastador narrated that after his class ended at 2:30 p.m., he headed back to their residence to prepare for their game when the sight of a raging fire greeted him.
“The sun was blacked out by the thick smoke, and it was very hot. It felt like it was going to melt my face off,” Gastador said.
He then rushed to help his family pack up their things and bring them to safety.
While doing this, he saw that the chapel near his grandmother’s house was about to go up in flames.
“So I took a rock and smashed the padlock. I saw the statue of the [Sacred Heart of Jesus] and picked it up to make sure it wouldn’t be damaged,” Gastador said.
He went on to save the image but the chapel and his grandmother’s house were reduced to ashes.
Gastador said none of his family members got injured in the fire.
Shortly after helping save the statue and his family, Gastador (below, wearing jersey no. 23) rushed to catch a Cesafi men’s basketball game at the Cebu Coliseum where his Jaguars faced USC.
After making sure the holy image and his family were safe, he then rushed to the Cebu Coliseum to catch the game against the Warriors.
He arrived late for the game, checking in at the midway point of the first period.
USJ-R, though, lost, 74-65, (see separate story) but Gastador managed to keep his composure and had a respectable outing with nine points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.
After the game, he quickly changed and left to “go back home as I still have to help my family bring our things back to our home.”