Dennis Gaviola

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Allison Co

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781177578684UAAP 88 MBB AdU vs. ADMU- Divine Adili-7971.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Ateneo&#x27;s Divine Adili. UAAP Media/file</div>MANILA — Three days after the drowning tragedy that killed two Ateneo student athletes, friends of one of the victims, Nigerian Divine Adili, took the time to remember him as who he was beyond the court — a quiet but dependable friend who had big dreams for his family.“He’s more than a friend to us. He’s like our junior brother since we are here before him. Then he’s really a very quiet guy, like very friendly. So it’s really a very painful event,” fellow foreign student athlete and former Far Eastern University Tamaraw Emmanuel Ojoula said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/10/family-seeks-autopsy-on-adili-s-body-following-drowning-incident-2303">READ: Family seeks autopsy on Adili&#x27;s body following drowning incident </a></div>Divine’s classmate and close friend, Dona De Leon, shared that the Blue Eagle dreamt of playing professional basketball to help his parents.“Actually sabi niya po sa &#x27;kin na he wants to play outside the Philippines after he graduates po. Gusto niya mag-pro sa ibang bansa tapos gusto niya po ipagpatuloy &#x27;yung basketball niya na sports para ma-help niya po &#x27;yung parents niya,” she shared.“Gentle po, kind, and may pasesnya po si Divine, and very hardworking po,” De Leon added.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/11/ateneo-says-they-asked-tab-baldwin-to-refrain-from-speaking-publicly-after-adili-baterbonia-deaths-1828">READ: Ateneo says they asked Tab Baldwin to refrain from speaking publicly after Adili, Baterbonia deaths </a></div>De Leon shared that the last time he saw Adili was the day before he left for the team-building activity.Former Ateneo Blue Eagle Chibueze Ikeh, who also visited the funeral home on Thursday, June 11, called on his former coach, Tab Baldwin, to speak out about what he said really happened in the drowning incident that claimed the lives of Adili and Rene Baterbonia.“I mean, I know he&#x27;s going through a rough time right now, but I would love him to speak up and let the people know what happened,” Ikeh said.Ikeh said stamina training was a regular part of the team&#x27;s program during his time with Ateneo but declined to comment further as investigations into the incident remain ongoing. He suited up as a center for the Ateneo Blue Eagles from 2015 to 2017.“I wasn&#x27;t there this season…It&#x27;s just a regular training. It&#x27;s just a training that helps us boost our conditioning stamina or whatever we want to do to build the team together,” he said.Ateneo, in an earlier statement, said Baldwin, along with the team manager, is “on leave” as investigations are still ongoing.

Three days after the drowning tragedy that killed two Ateneo student athletes, friends of one of the victims, Nigerian Divine Adili, took the time to remember him as who he was beyond the court — a quiet but dependable friend who had big dreams for his family.

Three days after the drowning tragedy that killed two Ateneo student athletes, friends of one of the victims, Nigerian Divine Adili, took the time to remember him as who he was beyond the court — a quiet but dependable friend who had big dreams for his family.

Quiet but dependable: Divine Adili’s friends remember him beyond the court

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Quiet but dependable: Divine Adili’s friends remember him beyond the court

Allison Co,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 11, 2026 07:46 PM PHT

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