Divine determination: Adili set goals beyond basketball

Divine Adili was more than just a bruising center for the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

To basketball fans, he was the 6-foot-10 big man patrolling the paint for Ateneo in UAAP Season 88 last year. To teammates, he was a brother. To his professors, he was a diligent student with dreams that stretched far beyond basketball.

For those who knew him best, Divine was a young man driven by purpose, always determined to build a better future for himself and his family.

At Ateneo, his towering frame naturally made him stand out. Yet according to his former professor Skilty Labastilla, Divine never sought attention. He was just a regular student, but whose humility matched his physical stature.

“Adili introduced himself simply as ‘D,’” Labastilla wrote in a Facebook post on June 11, three days after Divine and teammate Rene Baterbonia drowned during a team-building activity in Aurora.

“[He was] courteous and deeply mindful of others, he knew his 6’10” frame would tower over his blockmates, so he quietly made the back row of the classroom his permanent home.”

Divine Adili starred for New Era University in NAASCU, winning individual honors, including multiple MVPs. Photo from Elias Adili’s Facebook page

Divine transferred from New Era University to Ateneo in 2024 as one of the Blue Eagles’ highly regarded recruits. 

Before arriving in Ateneo, the 21-year-old had already built a name for himself, winning two Most Valuable Player awards, two Finals MVP honors, and back-to-back championships in the National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (NAASCU) juniors division.

“He made sure that he was in Ateneo not merely as a ‘hired hand’ whom the team recruiters needed so that the Blue Eagles could claim their own foreign big man,” shared Louie Julian, also Divine’s former professor.

Ateneo’s Divine Adili goes up against Adamson counterpart Mudiaga Ojarikre. Photo from the UAAP

Born and raised in Nigeria, Divine’s basketball talent may have been the most visible part of his life, but he also had dreams outside of it.

“D crossed an ocean from Nigeria to pursue his dreams at Ateneo, trusting this institution with his education, his talents, and his well-being,” Labastilla said.

“While he was a dedicated athlete, he also looked far beyond the court; if he didn’t pursue a career as a professional player, his dream was to build a future in Marketing, so he was aiming to take it as a track and pair it with Psychology.”

Julian recalled how Divine once spoke fondly of his family. At one point, he even showed a childhood photo.

“During his final oral exam, I remember Divine talking about his family. He even showed a picture of himself as a baby being carried by his father,” Julian wrote.

“According to him, he would spend many troubled nights struggling with the uncertainty that came with being away from his homeland.”

Living thousands of miles away from home wasn’t easy for Divine and he held on to what he believed was his purpose in the Philippines.

“[There] was something about being in the Philippines that drove him to power through the homesickness — the search for purpose,” said Julian. “Yes, basketball was just the most obvious form that this purpose took. But it was clear to me that Divine was looking for something so much more.”

That purpose, Julian believed, was rooted in family.

As the eldest among four siblings, Divine carried the hopes of those back home. According to his parents Elias and Ifeoma, he was the family’s breadwinner and the one they believed could help provide a better future for them.

“Even with the language barrier, the cultural differences, and the pressures that came with being in the men’s basketball team, Divine remained true to that larger purpose he was looking for: to be his own man, to be the man his family back in Nigeria can look up to with pride as one of their own,” said Julian.

Divine Adili already played hoops back in Nigeria. Photo from Elias Adili’s Facebook page

Divine, though, faced some setbacks last year in his first — and what would also turn out to be his final — UAAP season.

The rookie big man battled a nagging back injury and a slipped disc throughout Season 88 last year, which not only affected his performance on court but also bothered him while inside the classroom.

There were days when sitting caused unbearable pain, forcing him to stand at the back during lectures and stretch from time to time.

Yet for his teachers, what left the strongest impression was his determination to keep showing up.

“[Divine] made sure he lived the fullest student life that he could,” noted Julian.

Labastilla also shared: “[He] never let his physical suffering diminish his spirit or his effort: there were times when he would will himself to attend class even if it meant standing at the back of the classroom since sitting down would cause excruciating pain.”

‘Gentle soul’

Despite the difficulties, many remember Divine as being respectful, gentle, and even playful.

TNT Tropang 5G head coach Chot Reyes recalled Divine’s diligence in training.

Ateneo and TNT shared the same practice facility at Moro Lorenzo Gym, allowing Reyes to see Divine almost every day.

“I didn’t even share a brief moment with him, I saw him every day for almost two years,” Reyes said. “He was always very respectful. Every time he saw me, he greeted me good morning. Mostly, I saw him in the weight room. If I’m not mistaken, the Thursday before this happened, he was also there during our practice.”

Former Ateneo deputy Sandy Arespacochaga, who coached Divine last year, remembered a side of the towering center that few saw.

“Last year, I got to coach Divine and actually, he’s a gentle soul,” Arespacochaga said. “He loves SpongeBob… He looks tough, but he’s a gentle soul.”

Divine’s social media account did feature the yellow cartoon character, from his Instagram handle, @adilidivine__spongebob, to a profile picture of SpongeBob SquarePants wearing his Ateneo No. 14 jersey.

For his fellow Blue Eagles, Divine was a brother, with teammates like Shawn Tuano and incoming rookie Kieffer Alas all saying how much they love and miss him.

Ateneo’s Divine Adili celebrates a play in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball action.

While many call him Divine or D, his full name, Chukwuemeka Divine Adili, carried a deeper meaning. 

An Igbo name from southeastern Nigeria, Chukwuemeka translates to “God has done great things” or “God has done well.” 

For those who knew him, that meaning offers the clearest reflection of the life he lived. – Rappler.com