Just days after celebrating a championship, Barangay Ginebra stars Scottie Thompson and Nards Pinto found themselves in a far different setting.
Instead of continuing the festivities following the Gin Kings’ Commissioner’s Cup triumph, the two PBA veterans traveled to Talacogon, Agusan del Sur to pay their final respects to the late Ateneo basketball player Rene Baterbonia.
Photos and videos shared online showed Thompson and Pinto visiting Baterbonia’s wake on Tuesday, joining family, friends, and members of the basketball community mourning the loss of one of Mindanao’s promising young talents.
Baterbonia died alongside Nigerian teammate Divine Adili in a drowning incident during a team-building activity in Aurora earlier this month.
Their visit came only days after Thompson and Pinto helped Barangay Ginebra secure the Commissioner’s Cup championship by defeating TNT in a winner-take-all Game 7.
For many, the gesture reflected the close ties that often connect athletes beyond leagues, teams, and levels of competition.
“Thank you so much my brother Scottie and Nards for visiting and paying respect to Bobet and his family,” said Baterbonia’s high school coach Jess Evangelio.
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“We know you should be celebrating your championship today, but nevertheless, you still took the time to stop by and share our grief.
“We are very grateful and very much appreciate your kindness and support,” added Evangelio on social media.
Thompson and Pinto were joined by Thompson’s wife Jinky and actress Sofia Andres as they visited the wake on the eve of Baterbonia’s burial.
The visit carried added meaning given their shared roots. Thompson and Pinto both hail from Davao, where Baterbonia first made a name for himself as a standout player for Ateneo de Davao before continuing his basketball journey at Ateneo de Manila University.
While championships often define careers, Thompson and Pinto’s trip to Agusan del Sur served as a reminder that some moments transcend the game itself.
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