NEWPORT NEWS, VA (WTKR)- Christopher Newport junior guards Camille Malagar and Gabbi San Diego share a connection that stretches far beyond the court, one that dates back a generation and spans a half-world away.
The two players' fathers went to high school together in the Philippines and made the journey to the United States together in 1987.
"Her family ended up settling in Maryland and my family in northern Virginia," San Diego said.
"From then on, our families were just super tight-knit," Malagar added.
The journey taken by the two fathers would end up bonding the two families forever. Their daughters became instant friends, sharing the bond of basketball and so much more.
"We both like to sing and play the guitar, play a bunch of instruments," recalled Malagar. "We were always on family vacations together."
"I just remember being little kids running around, probably until like 1:00 or 2:00 AM, just playing while our families hung out," San Diego said.
While they would grow up together, both Gabbi and Camille say they went on their own individual paths during their teenage years. Both went through the recruiting process separately, but learned that basketball would bring them back together.
"It wasn't until a family party that she had told me that she was going on a visit here (Christopher Newport)," Malagar said. "I had already been on my visit."
"She said that she loved it and she told me that I would love it and I did end up loving it," noted San Diego.
Years after their fathers ventured across hemispheres, the two friends made a journey of their own to Newport News. It's not as far, but like it was for their dads, it was better to travel together.
"It's like going to college with a built-in best friend," San Diego pointed out. "She was my roommate, still is my roommate, so that's always been a comforting thing."
"Coming into college is such a huge transition," added Malagar. "Having somebody like her, somebody that has been so close to me throughout my whole life has just been super comforting."
As for their families, as one can imagine, they're excited to have both Camille and Gabbi playing basketball for the same college program.
"In the crowd you'll just see a huge group of Filipinos," smiled Malagar. "You know that they're for Gabbi and I."
"They're very emotional about it," San Diego said. "They'll probably see this and end up crying, so they've been enjoying it a lot."
There's a lot to enjoy. This latest chapter has offered the two players and their families lifelong memories in a story that dates back to before they were born.
"When we were kids and playing basketball on a little mini-hoop, we didn't really think that this would end up happening one day," San Diego said. "To be doing it together and to be pretty successful doing it is very, very cool."
"We were both meant to be in each other's lives," Malagar added. "We started playing basketball together when we were super young and it's just crazy that we get to play our last few years together, so it's just really full-circle."
San Diego has started all 12 games she's played in for the Captains this season. She's averaging 6.3 points and four assists per game, seeing 19.2 minutes per outing. Malagar has played in all 17 games for CNU, spending 14.9 minutes per contest on the floor and is averaging 6.4 points per game. She leads the team with 50 assists on the season.
Christopher Newport is 17-0 and ranked number one in the country among Division III teams. The Captains are back in action on Wednesday at Marymount. CNU has won 60 of its last 61 games.
