MANILA, Philippines—Ateneo men’s basketball players Kieffer Alas and Sam Reyes said they barely survived the drowning incident that killed two of their teammates, Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, during a training camp in Dipaculao, Aurora on June 8.
“I really don’t know how to swim. My head wasn’t straight because I did not know what to do. I already gave up at that point,” Alas said after a series of big waves swept players into the deeper parts of the ocean during a water exercise.
“I was going down and down. I was gonna accept na mawawala na po ako (that I was going to die). Then after more seconds had gone by, I felt my feet touch the sand. There was a glimmer of hope, so I jumped and gasped for air.”
Alas, this year’s most sought after prospect, also said he was underwater for about 20 seconds.
