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There was a PBA finals game to be played between Barangay Ginebra and TNT, but the tragedy involving Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili weighed on players and coaches alike.
The mood at the Smart Araneta Coliseum felt different on the eve of Game 4 of the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup Finals between the TNT Tropang 5G and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Wednesday.
It was apparent that the tragic deaths of Ateneo Blue Eagles Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili hung over the air like a thick fog. In one corner, NLEX Road Warriors coach Jong Uichico, Barangay Ginebra team governor Alfranchis Chua and TNT Tropang 5G assistant coach Josh Reyes were having an animated discussion. In another part of the coliseum, players warming up from both teams could be seen conversing amongst themselves, with one of them invariably shaking his head once in a while.
At the end of the game, a 106-98 win for the Tropang 5G that leveled the series at 2-2, Jordan Heading opened his post-game press conference with some words about the two young players.
“Well, first of all, I just want to take the time to give my love to the families of Rene and Divine,” he said. “That played heavily on our minds, so I just want to take the time and give love to their families.”
Seated beside him, Heading’s coach Chot Reyes chimed in, saying he was going to miss Adili’s presence at the Moro Lorenzo Gym where both the Tropang 5G and Blue Eagles practice.
“The past two years, we see them almost every day because we practice in the same facility, we lift weights in the same gym. So, I don’t know if you saw my story yesterday, my Instagram story, it was really surreal. Stepping into the Moro Lorenzo court and the gym without Divine,” Reyes said.
“No more ‘Good morning, coach’ greeting right there. So, really glad that Jordan brought it up because he’s right, that was something that we discussed also as a team yesterday.”
Reyes said that they have given assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga, who was an Ateneo assistant coach for the longest time, all the leeway he needs to be there for the Blue Eagles.
“He’s no longer part of the Ateneo coaching staff, but still we allowed him to leave practice yesterday,” Reyes said.
“He was constantly on the phone and actually asked to report to the university president (Fr. Bobby Yap, S.J.). And then, today also, in our pre-game, he was with the team when they paid their respects. So, we gave him a lot of time and we told coach Sandy not to worry about his responsibilities first with (TNT).
“Because for us, that’s more important, there are a lot of things more important than a championship series and that’s one of them. So, we allowed him to take his time and in fact, he came just as the game was about to start today.”
Arespacochaga did not join the Blue Eagles in Aurora for their training camp, but he said he has been in constant contact with the team.
“It’s really hard,” he said after the game. “It’s hard, everything that’s happening. The players, they’re a bit traumatized. It’s really hard.”
Arespacochaga also expressed hope that the circumstances surrounding the incident will come to light soon.
“With all of what’s happening, it’s crazy,” he said. “It doesn’t help the situation. I think a lot of you also, a lot of people were confused about all the information. I guess hopefully it will come to light, what happened. It’s tragic. It’s crazy.
Go and Abarrientos: Prayers and a Call for Answers
Former Blue Eagle and current Barangay Ginebra center Isaac Go, who played for Tab Baldwin, declined to speculate on what happened in Aurora.
“All I say is this, is that right now there’s a lot of noise and I don’t want to add to that. Especially, there’s a lot of investigation going on and even if I have experience (in the boot camp), I have no knowledge of what went on. So, my experience doesn’t have any impact on that. And I think now all we can wish for is that the investigation really is in depth and truly discovers what happens and that’s all we can hope for.”
Barangay Ginebra guard RJ Abarrientos, who earlier in the evening had been named Best Player of the Conference, said it was difficult to speculate on what really happened.
“Siyempre sa lahat ng basketball community nakakalungkot ‘yun,” he said. “Pero siyempre hindi naman tayo puwedeng manghimasok kung ano yung pinaka (nangyari) talaga. Sending prayers lang sa Ateneo community at sa pamilya ng nawalan.”
Abarrientos also expressed hope for the truth to eventually come out.
“Maliit lang ang mundo ng basketball and nakakalungkot sa basketball community. Sana lahat ay makakuha pa rin ng tamang sagot. We’re praying and condolences sa families ni Rene and (Divine) Adili.”
Banner images by Ed Simon/KLIQ, Inc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili were Ateneo Blue Eagles athletes who died in a drowning incident during a team training camp in Aurora. Their deaths prompted widespread mourning across the Philippine sports community, including players and coaches from the PBA.
Players and coaches from TNT Tropang 5G and Barangay Ginebra expressed grief before and after Game 4 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals. TNT’s Jordan Heading opened his post-game presser with condolences, while coach Chot Reyes recalled daily interactions with Divine Adili at the Moro Lorenzo Gym.
Chot Reyes said he and the TNT squad saw Adili almost every day at the Moro Lorenzo Gym, where both teams practice. He described the experience of entering the facility without Adili’s customary “Good morning, coach” greeting as surreal, and said the loss weighed heavily on the team.
Sandy Arespacochaga served as an Ateneo assistant coach for an extended period before joining TNT Tropang 5G. Following the drowning incident, TNT head coach Chot Reyes gave Arespacochaga full leeway to support the Ateneo program, including attending meetings with university president Fr. Bobby Yap, S.J.
Barangay Ginebra’s Isaac Go declined to speculate on what happened, calling for a thorough investigation. RJ Abarrientos expressed condolences to the Ateneo community and the families of Baterbonia and Adili, and said the basketball world hoped the full truth would eventually come to light.