HE WAS never a varsity player during his school days. But during the opening of the first NMR-4 Governor's Cup hoopfest at the Nazareth gym, Cagayan de Oro City last April 6, the 5-foot-5 guard Imok Cabrezos played as one.
Teaming up with fellow Corpus Christi alumni Boning Biongcog and Jan Babiera, the streak-shooting Cabrezos lobbed five booming treys to help Team Gabe defeat Team Michael by eight points in their debut of the eight-team tournament organized by Luiben Magto.
"While Babiera and Biongcog are expected to be Team Gabe's top gunners, wala nagpabiya si Kuya Imok kay lima ka tres gyod ang gipabuto," said tournament director Gary Mejos in delight.
With Babiera hitting an array of jumpers and Biongcog seemed preserving his dazzling moves, the gutsy Cabrezos fired three pointes one after the other, dished out pin-point assists and made a steal that eventually made him a ticking bomb all-night long.
"Wala namo siya nauban sa Corpus high school varsity sa una pero kabalo siya modula," Biongcog later said of Cabrezos.
Asked what inspired him to play like a pro, the "Super Imok" just exudes an impish smile with this naughty words "gusto lang nako ma SunStar."
In the opener, the team of RJ Yacapin and fellow club president Yogi Hembrador relied on the youthful fivesome of Maher Eduave, Tarotoy Remoto, Mauricio Anderson, Arvin Monterona and Alcover to overcome the equally-tough roster of NMR-4 Vice Governor Ibrahim Jagger, also by just a single digit.
"Wala pa nakadula among team pero akong na-observe sa first two games nga pakusganay sa lineup man diay kini nga tournament," warned Green CDO Eagles president Ulysses "Baseball Pass" Romulo.