HE was playing for Arellano, but just like the rest of the Lyceum Pirates, Renzo Abiera was emotional following the unfortunate episode suffered by JM Bravo in the most harrowing incident so far in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament.
Abiera was seen sobbing while the Arellano school hymn was being played shortly after the Chiefs’ 91-86 win over the weekend.
It so happened he was the one whose head hit Bravo hard to the jaw that caused the Arellano wingman to lose his conscious following a looseball in the final 3.8 seconds of the game at the FilOil EcoOil Arena.
The 6-foot-1 rookie said he was actually concerned with the welfare of Bravo since he doesn’t want to see any co-players get hurt on the court.
Abiera also stressed everything was an accident and it was not his intention to hurt anyone.
“Siyempre kapwa basketball player ko yun. Hindi ko ginusto yun na mangyari. And naawa ako sa kanya,” said the Arellano guard as he talked about the incident three days after it happened.
READ: JM Bravo wants to resume playing after concussion protocol
Truth to tell, the former National University player said he wasn’t aware about what happened to Bravo after play was stopped.
Initially, Abiera and some Arellano players celebrated during the deadball situation as the Chiefs were on their way to pulling another upset.
“Crucial yung stop namin dun, e. Lamang kami ng apat and nakuha ko yung bola,” he recalled. “Actually akala ko tapos na yung game nun. Akala ko 00 (timeclock) na nun, kaya tumakbo ako at nag-celebrate ako,” he said.
To his surprise, he saw Bravo laying motionless on the floor and being revived initially, by his teammates led by Ato Barba.
“Tapos bigla kong nakita may na-knockout pala. Kaya medyo na-shock ako sa nangyari,” he said.
Abiera, 22, suffered a small bruise behind the back of his head as a result of the collision with Bravo.
But he said it was just a slight contusion that he even didn’t feel it when he bumped on to Bravo.
“Actually nung nagka-banggaan kami, parang wala lang e. Wala nga akong napansin na bumangga sa akin,” recalled Abiera. “Kaya nagulat na lang ako na may na-knockout na pala.”
It was the first time Abiera experienced such an accident inside the court, and while initially shocked, it didn’t leave any trauma or psychological scars on his part.
It also helped the support given to him by Arellano head Peter Cayco, coach Chico Manabat and the rest of the Chiefs.
“Sabi nila it’s part of the game. Hindi ko naman yun sinadya and hindi ko naman yun ginusto,” said Abiera.
As proof he meant well about the condition of Bravo, the Arellano player even went to the Lyceum dugout and looked for JM.
“After ng game, I tried pumunta doon sa dugout nila kung andun pa si JM kasi magso-sorry ako. Pero wala na, nadala na pala siya sa hospital,” Abiera said.
Bravo was already conscious even before he arrived at the hospital, where he was observed for 48 hours as part of the concussion protocols.
All the tests done on him, including CT scans, proved negative.
Abiera, who finished with 10 points and connected on 3-of-5 shooting from three point range in the Chief’s 66-59 conquest of University of Perpetual Help Altas also on Tuesday, said he hasn’t talk yet to Bravo since the incident, but has already sent him a note on his messenger.
“Nag-reach out ako sa kanya sa messenger. Sana mabasa niya yun,” he said.
Incidentally, both Abiera and Bravo belonged to the same worship service with the Victory U-Belt.
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