At Auburn Adventist Academy, Gabriel Delgadillo found a place to grow as a student, athlete and follower of Christ while pursuing excellence on and off the basketball court.
Born in Málaga, Spain, to Bolivian parents, Delgadillo grew up connected to both cultures. Basketball became his passion, and his talent opened doors to higher levels of competition. In Bolivia, he trained under national-level coaches and learned the cost of pursuing excellence.
He remembers being 13 and missing birthdays, family gatherings and time with friends because of training. The experience taught him sacrifice and that talent alone is not enough. “You have to put in the work,” Delgadillo said, reflecting on James 2:17 and the connection between faith and action.
Delgadillo was 14 when he was selected among 60 young basketball players in Bolivia for a chance to represent his country. After a year of training and cuts, he became one of 12 athletes chosen for Bolivia’s team at a South American U16 tournament in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in November 2022.
For Delgadillo, now a graduating senior at AAA, the experience was more than a basketball milestone. “Representing Bolivia was a privilege I will always carry with me,” Delgadillo said. “Wearing the colors of my flag is something I will never forget.”
As competition intensified, Delgadillo began wrestling with how basketball fit with his Adventist faith. High-level sports often meant Friday night and Sabbath games. Over time, he realized his athletic life and spiritual life were becoming disconnected.
That changed when his family moved to Washington in early 2023 and he enrolled at AAA. “AAA became the refuge I found during difficult moments of change in my life,” Delgadillo said.
He arrived in a new country with a new language, without his former team, after basketball season had already ended. Yet he found a Christian community that embraced him, supported him and helped strengthen his faith.
At AAA, Delgadillo discovered he could grow as an athlete while still honoring the Sabbath and deepening his relationship with God.
“My faith influences the way I compete because it reminds me I represent something bigger,” he said.
Delgadillo’s growth continued on the court. During his time at AAA, the boys basketball team reached three consecutive Adventist academy tournament finals and advanced to the state tournament this year. Delgadillo was named MVP at this year's Walla Walla University Friendship Tournament, and he has been invited to participate in the AdventistHoops All-American Weekend, happening July 29–Aug. 2.
Delgadillo plans to attend WWU and study business. For him, Adventist education represents whole-person growth. “I want to become a positive, hardworking person,” Delgadillo said, “one who keeps growing in faith, living with purpose and standing for truth.”
Gabriel Delgadillo, AAA senior, brings focus, discipline and purpose to the basketball court.
Delgadillo represents Bolivia in the 2022 South American U16 tournament.
Gabriel Delgadillo, center, stands with members of the Auburn Adventist Academy Falcons basketball team. At AAA, Delgadillo found a place to grow in both athletic excellence and faith.
