Camille Naredo

Article (news)

Divine Adili

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

MANILA – After his friend moved from Commonwealth to Katipunan, Antonio Montemayor made sure to keep in touch with the late Divine Adili. Montemayor remembered meeting Adili in high school, when the basketball player was still studying in New Era University. He said he first approached Adili back in 2023, through a mutual friend Torijetsu “TJ” Adams, who was also a player of the NEU Hunters.  &quot;I&#x27;ve known Divine since high school. It&#x27;s really funny because [he&#x27;s] not the Divine we know now. He used to be really skinny, really shy. And he really touched the hearts of everyone in New Era back then,&quot; Montemayor told ABS-CBN News on Wednesday.  <div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/6/17/-we-re-proud-of-him-we-ll-always-celebrate-him-divine-adili-s-parents-honor-memory-of-son-1051">READ: Divine Adili&#x27;s parents honor memory of their son</a></div>Despite all his achievements, Montemayor said Divine stayed the same kind, humble and gentle giant they fondly knew from their first meeting.  Montemayor recalled he last saw Divine, just one month ago in their alma mater. &quot;Last time I saw him in person was in May 30. He went to New Era, because his old coach invited [him] for a training session sa New Era,&quot; he shared. &quot;We used to talk everyday nung new season niya sa Ateneo. Sobrang ano niya eh I used to call him, I used to ask how his injury was going because he was battling with a back injury,&quot; Montemayor added. He was saddened upon hearing the passing of his good friend Divine and Rene Baterbonia.  &quot;I was devastated especially as a fan of basketball. With Rene especially, because I knew how much of an up and coming player he was. You know, with Divine it was incomprehensible talaga. He was like an older brother to me. Up until now I can&#x27;t believe what happened,&quot; Montemayor shared. &quot;I remember when I&#x27;d sleep in his dorm, I would wake up and he would in a call with his little sister. He just loved his family so much,&quot; he said.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/6/8/uaap-ateneo-s-adili-baterbonia-pass-away-in-drowning-incident-1959">READ: Ateneo&#x27;s Adili, Baterbonia pass away in drowning incident</a></div>During his visit to Adili&#x27;s wake on Wednesday, Montemayor made sure to bring a piece of his good friend with him, wearing a jersey personally given to him by Divine. <div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781691768161viber_image_2026-06-17_15-52-20-050.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="A tribute to Divine Adili at his wake. Contributed photo"/>A tribute to Divine Adili at his wake. Contributed photo</div>&quot;Yeah he did [give it to me]. Before he moved out of the Ateneo dorms, I used to sleep over at his place lagi sa New Era. And you know, I just poke fun at him, when are you giving me a jersey bro? You&#x27;re a celebrity now, you&#x27;re a UAAP player now,&quot; he said. &quot;You might forget about me so let me get something to remember you by. And he gave me this set. I never would have expected that I&#x27;d be wearing it at an occasion like this,&quot; Montemayor added. When asked how he would want people to remember his good friend, Montemayor said he hopes stories of Divine&#x27;s kindness lives on. &quot;I want them to remember him as a great human. I remember poking fun at him because I told him bro you&#x27;re a bona fide celebrity now, you&#x27;re in the UAAP... but none of that changed him. He always was so humble,&quot; he shared. The good friend of Adili said his best memories of Divine were mostly off the court, his favorite being his birthday party which the basketball player made sure to attend. &quot;One time he went to my birthday party na I was the only one he knew. But that just speaks of how good of a person he was. Even if he was a big guy, even if at first he seems intimidating he really holds everyone he loves with such grace,&quot; Montemayor said. Divine&#x27;s friend thanked the Adili family for allowing the late basketball star&#x27;s remains to be transferred from Ateneo to Arlington. &quot;For the parents of Divine, I just wish you all understood how much of a brother Divine was to us. I just wanted to thank them as well for letting us have this wake because I remember there was talk of him being sent back to Nigeria directly,&quot; Montemayor said. <div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/6/17/prince-eze-appeals-for-calm-amid-probes-into-divine-adili-rene-baterbonia-deaths-1435">READ: Eze appeals for calm amid probes into Divine Adili, Rene Baterbonia deaths</a></div>He also appealed for calm and understanding from the public, as the probes on the deaths of Divine and Rene continue. &quot;What happened with Divine was unwarranted. Nobody wanted that to happen. I wish people would look past yung mga agad-agad na opinyon niya, I wish they would share the same level of grief and mourning,&quot; Montemayor said. Several photos of Divine, his jersey signed by the Ateneo Blue Eagles and his basketball shoes are on display inside the chapel. His favorite animated character, Spongebob Squarepants, are also exhibited alongside more of his photos and awards.  &quot;Throughout everything he stayed the same. Exactly the same. The same Divine that landed in the Philippines, that first got accustomed to New Era. He&#x27;s still the same, he&#x27;s so humble,&quot; Montemayor shared. The wake of Adili is scheduled from 12 nn to 8 pm, with masses celebrated 5 pm daily.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/17/ateneo-basketball-players-face-cidg-nbi-probe-on-teammates-drowning-1027">READ: Ateneo basketball players face CIDG, NBI probe on teammates’ drowning</a></div>

After his friend moved from Commonwealth to Katipunan, Antonio Montemayor made sure to keep in touch with the late Divine Adili.

After his friend moved from Commonwealth to Katipunan, Antonio Montemayor made sure to keep in touch with the late Divine Adili.

'He always was so humble:' Divine Adili's friend says athlete stayed grounded despite success

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'He always was so humble:' Divine Adili's friend says athlete stayed grounded despite success

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 17, 2026 06:44 PM PHT

Read More:

Basketball

Divine Adili

Ateneo Blue Eagles

New Era University

Rene Baterbonia

Ateneo de Manila University

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