Ateneo de Davao renames court after Rene Baterbonia, retires his jersey

MANILA, Philippines – Rene Baterbonia has been immortalized by the school he led to great heights.

As a tribute to its deceased alumnus, the Ateneo de Davao Senior High School renamed the court at its Bangkal Campus in Davao City to the Rene Baterbonia Covered Court and officially retired his No. 2 jersey on Sunday, June 14.

“These are lasting testaments to a young man whose heart and talent left an indelible mark on everyone who watched him play,” read a post on the Ateneo de Davao University Facebook page.

Baterbonia, who hailed from Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, brought honor to Ateneo de Davao at the national and international levels.

The 6-foot-4 forward led the Davao Region team represented by Ateneo de Davao to a historic secondary boys’ gold medal in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Norte, where he also earned Most Valuable Player honors.

He was also a member of the Ateneo de Davao crew that powered the Philippines to the championship in the 2025 ASEAN School Games in Brunei.

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For Ateneo de Davao head coach Jess Evangelio, Baterbonia deserves the homage.

“What an incredible and meaningful tribute to a young man who inspired so many people through his humility, hard work, faith, and love for his family,” Evangelio wrote on Facebook.

“Rene dreamed big despite having very little. He carried the pride of his family, his community, and Ateneo de Davao wherever he went. Now, generations of student-athletes will step onto that court and be reminded of his story, his sacrifices, and the dreams he chased with all his heart.”

Ateneo de Davao University will also provide Baterbonia’s six siblings with full scholarships from basic education to college.

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Baterbonia, an incoming star rookie at Ateneo de Manila University, drowned along with fellow ADMU men’s basketball team member Divine Adili during their team building in Aurora on June 8.

ADMU has come under fire for its handling of the tragedy, drawing flak from its own faculty, students, and alumni, as well as the general public, who are demanding transparency, accountability, and justice.

The National Bureau of Investigation and a multi-stakeholder body led by the Philippine Sports Commission are investigating the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili. – Rappler.com