FOR the first time, Divine Adili’s parents finally watched Ateneo play in the Philippines but their son was not on the court.
Ifeoma Joy and Elias Adili were in attendance at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday as Ateneo opened its UAAP Season 89 campaign with a 101-74 victory over the University of the East, marking an emotional return to the country months after the tragedy that claimed the lives of Divine and teammate Rene Baterbonia.
Before tipoff, the Ateneo Blue Eagles and UE Red Warriors observed a moment of silence for the two late players, offering prayers and remembering the team members who had been lost.
For Ifeoma, seeing Ateneo compete brought mixed emotions because it was supposed to be the moment she finally watched her son play live.
“I wish I am watching my son,” Ifeoma said.
She said she was grateful to finally be in the Philippines, but admitted that being inside the arena made the loss even more painful.
“I felt so emotional. And I prayed to God to always… give me the heart. But I don’t want to cry. But unfortunately today, the moment I stepped into this playground, I saw myself crying,” she said.
Instead of watching Divine suit up for Ateneo, his parents watched the team he had grown to love and the community he had helped bring into their lives.
According to his father Elias, Divine had promised that he would eventually bring his family to the Philippines to watch him play.
“We are supposed to watch Divine play. He promised us that. But it’s now cut short,” Elias said.
Still, the family’s visit had another purpose beyond attending the UAAP game.
Elias said they came to the Philippines as part of a fact-finding effort, speaking with Divine’s teammates and hearing directly from those who were present during the June 8 incident.
“We have seen clips of what happened. That is why we are here,” he said.
He added that talking to the Ateneo players helped the family better understand what happened and gave them an account they could bring back to their relatives in Nigeria.
“Today, now I can totally tell them. This was what happened. And this is what happened,” Elias said.
The trip also allowed Divine’s parents to meet members of the Ateneo community that their son had become part of during his time in the Philippines.
Elias said Divine made the family supporters of Ateneo, and despite the circumstances surrounding their visit, they remained grateful for the welcome they received.
“It’s unfortunate what happened. I pray for their souls to rest in peace,” he said.
On the court, Ateneo honored that memory by opening the season with a dominant performance against UE.
Kieffer Alas led the Blue Eagles in his UAAP debut with 24 points, four rebounds and one assist in just 20 minutes, while Jared Bahay added 17 points and Grayson Rogers chipped in 12.
But beyond the final score, Wednesday’s game carried a much deeper meaning for Ateneo.
The Blue Eagles were not simply beginning a new season. They were stepping onto the court carrying the memory of Divine and Rene with them and welcoming Divine’s parents into the arena where they had once hoped to watch their son play.
For Ifeoma, the sadness remains, but so does gratitude. “They might be invisible, but I know my son is there,” she said. (Jesus Nathaniel Valdez)
