Rene Baterbonia (left) and Divine Adili

MANILA, Philippines — The drowning of two members of the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) men’s basketball team during a team-building activity in Aurora province on Monday was “purely [an] accident” and did not involve foul play, a police official said on Tuesday, citing statements gathered from people at the scene.

“What happened was a natural accident. It really was not expected and for now, we do not see any foul play in this incident,” Police Col. Percival Pineda, acting Aurora provincial police director, said in Filipino during a press conference held in the capital Baler.

Following the police pronouncements, sports, academic and education department officials will be discussing the incident in a meeting scheduled for today, while some lawmakers are still calling for a deeper investigation.

READ: Police say no weights attached to bodies of drowned Ateneo athletes

The mother of one of the victims also took to social media to bewail the lack of information immediately reaching her family, as she also questioned the very activity her son was made to undergo without her being told about it.

Late Monday, the university confirmed in a statement that two members of its Blue Eagles basketball team, rookie Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, drowned earlier that day in Dipaculao town.

READ: Ateneo players’ deaths put spotlight on Blue Eagles ‘bootcamp’

Baterbonia, a 19-year-old standout from Ateneo de Davao, saw action for Davao Region in the Palarong Pambansa basketball finals two weeks ago and had just arrived in Metro Manila last week to join the Blue Eagles in its University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 89 campaign. Adili, 21, was a Nigerian student-athlete who played for the Blue Eagles in UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament last year.

According to Pineda, the accident happened at a beach resort in Barangay Lipit, Dipaculao, at 2:40 p.m. The team members, he said, were wading through the sea as part of their team-building activities, with the water level reaching their thighs, when Baterbonia and Adili hit a deeper area.

“In the place that they were walking on, there is a deep area. And then, they were suddenly swept by the current, toward the farther part of the sea,” he said.

The resort lifeguard tried but failed to save the two players, Pineda said. The local police and the Philippine Coast Guard sent their respective teams to the area after receiving a call reporting the accident at 3:15 p.m.

“The victims were promptly transported to a medical facility; however, they were later declared dead by the attending physician,” a separate statement from the Central Luzon regional police said. “We respectfully ask the public to refrain from speculation and allow the authorities to complete the investigation.”

In a statement on Tuesday, ADMU said the remains of the two student-athletes have been taken to Arlington Memorial Chapels and Crematory in Quezon City from Aurora Memorial Hospital. Adili’s remains will be taken to Nigeria while an autopsy will be performed on Baterbonia at the request of his family.

Ateneo vowed to support the families of the two student-athletes as well as the rest of the team and coaching staff, while “pursuing a careful and thorough understanding of the circumstances surrounding this tragedy.”

It said further updates, including “measures being undertaken to review the circumstances of the incident,” will be shared once available.

Stakeholders’ panel

On Tuesday, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) announced that a stakeholders’ panel will meet today at the PSC headquarters to discuss the incident and gather information from concerned agencies.

The panel will include PSC Chair Patrick Gregorio, PSC Commissioner Fritz Gaston, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Erika Dy, Commission on Higher Education Chair Shirley Agrupis, UAAP representatives Rebo Saguisag and Fr. Aldrin Suan, National Youth Commission Chair Jeff Ortega and Department of Education Undersecretary Malcolm Garma.

The PSC said Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has assured the panel of an official report from the Philippine National Police in Aurora. Findings from the discussions will be coordinated with the PNP and the Department of Justice.

In Camp Crame, Remulla told reporters that the police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) will release a report on the drowning incident soon.

Mother’s grief

In a series of Facebook posts, Baterbonia’s mother, Rovelyn, expressed grief and frustration over what she said was a lack of information provided to the family.

“Wherever we go, we will carry memories of you that no amount of money can ever replace,” she wrote in Filipino. “I still hope that when your father and I arrive, you’ll wake up and begin a second chapter of your life, son.”

She also said she had not personally seen her son’s remains when news of his death began circulating online.

“I still haven’t seen my son’s body,” she wrote. “No one has shown me any proof that he is really gone. Up to now, we still have not been told exactly what happened or where my son is.”

Rovelyn also questioned the nature of the activity, saying she was unaware her son would be participating in a training camp similar to the offseason “boot camp” discussed by former Ateneo player Mike Nieto in a podcast interview.

“If they had told us about this kind of training, I would never have allowed my son to go,” she wrote. “We were not informed about it.”

Pineda said it was not the first time that the Ateneo basketball team, together with its coaching staff and trainers, held a team-building exercise in the resort in Aurora.

“In the past years, they already had activities in the same resort as well, that’s why we think they know the situation in that area. They are doing their usual activities,” he said.

Congressional probe

Pineda said the Dipaculao local government would conduct a full inspection and investigation in the area to prevent a repeat of the incident. He said the police had also reminded resort owners in Aurora, a province in the country’s eastern seaboard facing the Pacific Ocean and a popular surfing destination, to ensure the safety of guests in their establishments.

At the House of Representatives, Manila Rep. Joel Chua suggested that the National Bureau of Investigation take the lead in investigating the incident.

“I am not accusing anyone at this stage. But every legitimate question must be asked, and every lead must be pursued. No angle should be prematurely dismissed,” he added.

Deputy Speakers Paolo Ortega V, Jefferson Khonghun, and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said that while they urge authorities to act fast, they will also file a resolution seeking a congressional inquiry into the incident.

“Such an investigation is crucial not only to establish the facts but also to provide the legislative basis for crafting new laws or amending existing ones. Our objective is to institutionalize stricter safety standards for all school, sports, and team-building activities nationwide, so that no other family will have to endure this kind of preventable loss,” they said in a joint statement.

Pinoy Workers party-list Rep. Karl Fernandez Legazpi also said that the incident should be a reminder that while there is a need to push student-athletes toward discipline and resilience, institutions need to have the “highest standards of safety, care, and accountability.” —WITH A REPORT FROM JASON SIGALES

Devin Haney is still seeking an opponent for a first defence of his WBO welterweight world title, but any hopes of it being Shakur Stevenson are dwindling.

Haney outpointed Brian Norman Jr. to claim world honours up at welterweight back in November. He is yet to fight since, with targeted unifications against Rolando Romero or former rival Ryan Garcia coming to nothing.

That now goes for Shakur Stevenson, too, whose insistence on a rehydration clause or catchweight for the match-up is a step too far for Haney.

On social media, he said that a clash with Stevenson would be the biggest of the year, but also recognised the magnitude of facing former WBO lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis.

“Me vs. Shakur is the biggest [fight of the year]. Our fight [vs. Keyshawn Davis] would be big though.”

Those comments drew a response from Stevenson, who made Haney’s demands for a welterweight match-up public. 

“And let me guess, I gotta come to your weight class to make the fight happen because you say so?”

Haney then confirmed the condition, before setting his sights firmly on Davis, who is a close friend and training partner of Stevenson’s.

“Whenever you decide to come to “my weight class” let’s do it!

“I’ll fight your brother Keyshawn for now..”

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Davis was recently announced as the WBO’s number one contender in the division, meaning the bout will be ordered soon. It would represent another move up in weight for ‘The Businessman’, who has fought just twice at super-lightweight but, last time out against Nahir Albright, struggled to make the 140 limit.

We might have just witnessed the most compelling opening three games of a Stanley Cup Final in NHL annals. While I’m not a hockey historian, I don’t remember one with as many goals, comebacks and one-goal games than the 2026 Final between the Hurricanes and Golden Knights. Vegas looks to take a commanding 3-1 series lead Tuesday in what could be its final home game of the season if it gets the victory. The Hurricanes are slight -114 favorites on the money line, with Vegas priced at -106. 

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Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights same-game parlay

• Vegas +1.5
• Carolina Over 2.5 goals scored 

BetRivers SGP price: +175

While these aren’t exactly two large-market teams with a ton of hockey history, the NHL has to be giddy with the product on the ice thus far, with at least seven goals in each game and the past two going past regulation. The 25 goals scored are the fifth most through the first three games of any championship series in league history.  

Every game has seen a tying goal in the final 10 minutes of regulation – a first in a Stanley Cup. It’s only the fourth Final to see any team erase a multi-goal deficit three times in the series overall. It’s the first Final with the first three each decided by a goal since 2016. That either team wins by a goal tonight is +260. Only three Finals have started with four straight one-goal games and it hasn’t happened since 2015 (Blackhawks-Lightning).

Carolina had been 6-0 on the road in these playoffs and 6-0 in overtime before losing 5-4 in double OT on Saturday night in Game 3. Good thing there was an extra day off for both clubs after that amazing hockey game. That there is OT in Game 4 is +275.

Vegas scored four times in the second period to seemingly lock the game down, only to allow four goals to Carolina in the third, with the tying coming via Andrei Svechnikov on the power play at 18:17. But Shea Theodore won it at 5:38 of the second OT off Hurricanes backup goalie Brandon Bussi. It was Theodore’s second OT winner in these playoffs as he became only the seventh defenseman in history with multiple overtime goals in a single postseason.

Carolina was looking to become the fifth team in NHL history to begin a postseason with a road winning streak of seven or more games. Now the Canes are 3-12 all-time in playoff games that require two or more overtime periods. The Knights are 4-2. 

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When I previewed Game 1 in this space, I mentioned that for whatever reason goalies rarely win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP these days, and that run now seems safe to continue. Neither of the guys who have started in this series has played that well. 

There is no shot that Vegas coach John Tortorella benches Carter Hart, because Hart has been the guy since Torts took over for the fired Bruce Cassidy late in the regular season. Hart is +30000 to win the Conn Smythe.

Frederik Andersen (+4000) was not the main Carolina guy during the regular season, but the veteran had played every minute of these playoffs until getting pulled following two periods of Game 3 after allowing those four goals (two more were disallowed). Bussi stopped the first 18 shots he faced to help the Canes rally before Theodore’s shot off the end boards in the second OT bounced off Bussi’s skate and into the net for a fluke goal in the goalie’s first action since April 14.

Clearly, coach Rod Brind’Amour now has a decision to make but seemed to hint after the loss that no big changes are coming. Then he changed his tune a bit and said he had made a decision on Monday but wasn’t ready to share it with anyone.

“We’ll keep it quiet,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s the only suspenseful thing around here. Hold onto it. It seems to have taken on a life of its own, so I kind of enjoy it.” 

Would he really go to a rookie with no playoff starting experience this late? Bussi was claimed off waivers in early October but was terrific at 31-6-2 with a 2.47 goals-against average, .895 save percentage and two shutouts in the regular season. Andersen is 13-2-0 with a 1.72 GAA and .917 SV in 15 playoff starts and gave up two goals or fewer in 12 of his first 13, but he hasn’t looked the same lately. His GAA climbed each series, from 1.10 to 1.14 to 1.91 to 4.44 in the Final. It seems likely to be Bussi’s turn.

“His games have been kind of those practices we’ve had, and he’s been sharp,” forward Seth Jarvis said of the rookie. “He keeps the same mentality going into a game as he does in practice. That’s what made coming in so easy for him. He treats everything like it’s a game and just stayed really dialed in throughout the time he wasn’t playing.”  

The Conn Smythe is now clearly Mitchell Marner‘s to lose, to the point that FanDuel offers the Vegas forward at -230 vs. the entire field at +168. Marner had a hat trick in just 6:10 of ice time in the second period of Game 2, the fastest hatty in Stanley Cup Final history. 

Marner also had an assist in the second to become the first NHL player with four points in a period during a Stanley Cup Final. He leads the playoffs by a mile with 28 points. That’s a league record by a player in his first season with a franchise. Marner is set at +220 to score a goal and -310 to earn a point. 

Teams that take a 3-1 series lead in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final own an all-time record of 38-1, while teams that win Game 4 after trailing 2-1 own an overall series record of 11-16. Vegas is now -188 on the series line, with Carolina +155. 

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I can’t possibly fade a Vegas team that is 21-5-1 under Tortorella, but the Hurricanes will be desperate so we’ll do the +1.5. In an ideal world, it’s 3-3 at the end of regulation, we cash and then enjoy the overtime(s). Carolina has scored at least three goals in seven straight. The SportsLine Projection Model has Vegas 3.3-3.0. Check out more expert picks in the daily SportsLine newsletter. 

Manny Pacquiao is the only boxer to have held a world title in four different decades, and the Filipino fan-favourite could reach a fifth if he has his way. His former rival, Marco Antonio Barrera, believes he can do it.

Pacquiao made his ring return in July 2025, attempting to break his own record as the oldest welterweight world champion by taking on then WBC titleholder Mario Barrios in Las Vegas, but he could only muster a draw.

Next, the legendary southpaw will rematch his old foe, Floyd Mayweather, 11 years on from their money-spinning 2015 meeting, seeking to put the biggest regret of his 73-fight professional career to bed.

The fighting veteran has said he will remain in the sport afterwards and reignite his goal to regain a world title, hoping to secure a shot at a 147lbs world champion during 2027.

Speaking to Boxing King Media, Barrera – who lost twice to Pacquiao – said that he is still capable of dethroning WBA champion Rolando Romero, whom he was in talks to face at the beginning of this year.

“He wants to fight for the title at 47 years old!” 

“We can do it [beat Rolando Romero].”

‘Rolly’ has been ordered to defend his belt in a difficult affair against Chorley-born Jack Catterall, but recent reports suggest that he will first fight a lower-risk contest in August before he takes on the Brit. He has claimed that the Pacquiao fight did not materialise because ‘PacMan’ demanded too much money.

FIFA World Cup 2026: What Needs to Go Right for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to Meet

A record-breaking sixth FIFA World Cup for both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could finally produce the one meeting football has never had: a World Cup clash between the sport’s defining rivals. Both Argentina and Portugal arrive in North America in encouraging form after winning their opening pre-tournament friendlies, with Argentina beating Honduras 2-0 and Portugal edging Chile 2-1. While Messi is recovering well from a minor hamstring strain, Ronaldo is fully fit and expected to spearhead Portugal’s challenge.The prospect of a showdown between the two icons carries extra significance because, despite defining an era of football for nearly two decades, they have never faced each other on the sport’s biggest stage. Their rivalry has spanned leagues, continents and competitions, yet the FIFA World Cup remains the one major tournament where their paths have never crossed in a competitive match.That could finally change in 2026. With Ronaldo approaching 41 and Messi nearing 39, both are widely expected to be appearing at their final World Cup. As a result, the expanded tournament offers what may be the last opportunity for football’s most celebrated rivalry to receive a World Cup chapter.Whether that dream matchup becomes reality, however, depends on a very specific chain of results, knockout pathways and qualification scenarios unfolding across FIFA’s newly expanded 48-team format. Before exploring those possibilities, it is worth understanding how the tournament is structured, because the format itself is what makes a potential Messi-versus-Ronaldo meeting both more achievable and more complicated than ever before.

How the 48-team World Cup actually works

The 2026 tournament, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, expands from 32 to 48 teams, which changes the entire rhythm of the competition.Instead of eight groups, there are now twelve groups, labelled from Group A to Group L, and each group contains four teams. Argentina have been drawn into Group J alongside Algeria, Austria and Jordan, while Portugal are in Group K with Colombia, Uzbekistan and DR Congo.From these twelve groups, the path forward works in two layers.First, the straightforward part: the teams that finish first and second in each group automatically qualify for the knockout stage. That accounts for 24 teams.Then comes the part that did not exist in previous World Cups. All twelve third-placed teams are compared across the tournament based on points, goal difference and goals scored, and the best eight among them also qualify. That brings the total to 32 teams moving into the knockouts.From there, the tournament becomes a straight elimination bracket, beginning with a Round of 32, then moving to the Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and finally the final. A team that goes all the way will now play eight matches instead of seven, reflecting the expanded structure, and the tournament overall stretches to 104 matches.This format matters because it creates multiple entry points into the knockout bracket, which is where a Ronaldo–Messi meeting becomes possible.

The weight both teams carry into 2026

Argentina arrive as defending world champions after lifting the trophy in Qatar 2022, a moment that reshaped Messi’s international legacy after years of near misses that included a World Cup final defeat and three Copa América final losses before their 2021 breakthrough. Since then, Argentina have added another Copa América title and head into 2026 with continuity, depth and a squad built around their captain.Portugal’s story has been different. Ronaldo, the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football with 143 goals, has won the European Championship and two UEFA Nations League titles, but the World Cup has remained out of reach. Portugal’s best finish in the Ronaldo era came in 2006, when they reached the semi-finals, and since then they have exited in the Round of 16 twice, in 2010 and 2018, gone out in the group stage in 2014, and reached the quarter-finals in 2022, where they were eliminated by Morocco with Ronaldo largely used as a substitute in the knockouts.Individually, Messi has played 26 World Cup matches and scored 13 goals, while Ronaldo has made 22 appearances with eight goals, and both are expected to feature in what would be their sixth World Cup, with Messi yet to officially confirm his participation.

Messi vs Ronaldo Worldcup stats

All of that context sits behind the simple fact that they are now in separate groups, Argentina in Group J and Portugal in Group K, which means any meeting can only happen once the knockout rounds begin.

Group stage expectations and probabilities

Argentina are widely viewed as strong favourites to top Group J, with projections placing their probability of finishing first at roughly 75% to 77%, reflecting both their status as defending champions and the relative balance of the group that also includes Austria, Algeria and Jordan. Austria are considered the primary challengers, with an estimated 20% to 22% chance of winning the group.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, second from left, poses with teammates and his sons prior to a World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match against Venezuela at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

Portugal, placed in Group K, are also expected to lead their group, with a squad that still includes Ronaldo alongside players like Bruno Fernandes and João Félix. According to leading betting sites, Portugal are the heavy favourites to finish top of the group at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with an implied probability of around 65% to 71%, although Colombia are seen as a genuine threat after a strong qualifying campaign in South America, led by Luis Díaz, James Rodríguez, and Davinson Sánchez, along with other key figures such as Jhon Córdoba, Jefferson Lerma, and Richard Ríos.

FILE – Portugal players pose for a team photo before a World Cup 2026 group F qualifying soccer match between Portugal and Hungary in Lisbon, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, File)

The bracket reality: why they cannot meet early

Because both Argentina and Portugal were top seeds placed in Pot 1 during the draw, FIFA structured the bracket so that teams from the same seeding pot are separated into different pathways. In simple terms, that means they cannot meet in the group stage and are kept apart until certain points in the knockout rounds depending on how they finish.Their placement in Groups J and K also puts them on intersecting sides of the bracket, which is why their meeting depends so heavily on specific finishing positions.

Scenario 1: both win their groups, quarter-final collision

If Argentina finish first in Group J and Portugal finish first in Group K, both teams would enter the knockout rounds on a path that brings them together in the quarter-finals, scheduled for July 11 in Kansas City, provided they win their Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches.Argentina’s route in that scenario would begin against the runner-up of Group H in the Round of 32, followed by a Round of 16 tie against the winner emerging from a clash between the second-placed teams in Groups D and G.Portugal, by contrast, would face one of the qualifying third-placed teams in their Round of 32 match, before moving into a Round of 16 tie against the winner of a match involving the winner of Group B.Only if both navigate those two knockout rounds successfully does the bracket align for a Ronaldo versus Messi meeting in the quarter-finals.

Scenario 2: both finish second, early Round of 16 meeting

If both teams finish as runners-up in their respective groups, the structure brings them together much earlier, with a potential Round of 16 clash on July 6 in Arlington, again assuming both win their opening knockout matches.In this case, Argentina would face the winner of Group H in the Round of 32, while Portugal would take on the runner-up of Group L, which includes teams such as England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama.The key difference here is that finishing second compresses the timeline, creating a pathway where the meeting happens just one round after the initial knockout stage.

Scenario 3: split positions, only the final remains

If one of the two teams wins their group while the other finishes second, the bracket separates them completely until the final on July 19 in New Jersey.In that configuration, they are placed on opposite sides of the knockout draw, meaning they would have to progress through every round, Round of 32, Round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, without slipping, for the meeting to happen.This is the longest and most demanding route, but also the one that would deliver the most symbolic ending: a World Cup final between two players whose rivalry has defined an era.

The wildcard variable: third-place qualification

The expanded format introduces another layer of uncertainty through the best third-placed teams.If either Argentina or Portugal finish third but still qualify among the top eight third-placed sides, their exact position in the knockout bracket cannot be determined until all group matches are completed, because those rankings depend on points, goal difference and goals scored across all groups.That makes any Ronaldo–Messi meeting in that scenario unpredictable, as their pathways would only become clear after the group stage concludes.

A sixth World Cup for Messi and Ronaldo could finally deliver the biggest showdown football fans have awaited.

Why this World Cup feels different

For all the permutations and pathways, the underlying reality is simple. This is likely the last time both players will share a World Cup stage, and the structure of the 48-team tournament has made it possible, but not guaranteed, for them to finally meet.It will take Argentina performing to expectation, Portugal navigating a competitive group, and both teams handling at least one or two knockout rounds without error, depending on the route.Only then does the bracket open up in a way that allows the rivalry to reach the one stage it has always missed.

Randy Orton’s wife shared a personal update today amid the legend’s absence from WWE. The Viper has not been seen since WrestleMania 42 earlier this year.

The 46-year-old’s wife, Kim Orton, took to Instagram today to share a family update. She shared several family photos in the post, and Orton can be seen in the first slide. You can check out the photos in Kim Orton’s Instagram post below.

Orton aligned with Pat McAfee ahead of WrestleMania 42 during his rivalry with Cody Rhodes over the Undisputed WWE Championship. The legend won the Men’s Elimination Chamber match earlier this year to become the number one contender.

Pat McAfee tried to interfere in the match, but Orton betrayed the former NFL punter and planted him with an RKO. The American Nightmare capitalized on the distraction and hit Orton with the Cross Rhodes for the pinfall victory to retain the title at The Show of Shows.

The Apex Predator has not been seen on WWE TV since his loss to Rhodes on The Grandest Stage of Them All. There have been rumors that he was dealing with a back issue, but the former champion shut those down on social media.

Former WWE star tells hilarious Randy Orton story

Wrestling veteran Maven recently shared a humorous story about Randy Orton flipping out at a restaurant.

Speaking on the INSIGHT podcast with Chris Van Vliet, Maven stated that he once accompanied Randy Orton to Denny’s, and the veteran got upset because there was water floating on top of his oatmeal. The situation led to an argument between Orton and the manager.

“Orton looked at her and threw the oatmeal. So out comes the manager. And the manager looks and sees, and it was me and Orton and someone else. I’m not going to say who. And the manager sizes us up. I’m the smallest guy in the group. And the manager says, well, you’re going to have to pay for that oatmeal and the one they’re making. And in true Randy Orton fashion, he says, I’ll buy every box of oatmeal you got if you can get one of them right. And that was a tame day, with early Orton.”

Only time will tell when the former champion will make his return to WWE television.