The veterans on our team felt disrespected. We tried to do what they did to us because we wanted to have the game stopped, but we didn’t know what to do.
RENDELL SENINING ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu City Heroes basketball player
ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu City Heroes guard Rendell Senining finally broke his silence regarding the controversy surrounding him and his team in the wake of its highly controversial game against the Siquijor Mystics in the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Cup on Wednesday afternoon at the Alcantara Civic Center.
Appearing on the “Breaking by Mikee” show of former University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons guard Mikee Reyes, the tearful 25-year-old apologized for his actions and emphasized that no “game fixing” happened.
“There was no game fixing,” said Senining, who earlier on Thursday, received a season-long suspension from the league. “We were there to play the game right. But we didn’t handle it right. We handled it poorly.”
Senining explained that his emotions got the best of him on that fateful play that was captured on camera and became viral on social media.
He added that he was trying to serve to the Mystics what they were serving his team.
“They were really trying to let us score. It was very unusual for me. It was fishy,” shared Senining. “Our game plan was to have a strong start, but something else happened. They just let us score. It’s disrespectful to the game, and we got offended. What they served us, we just served it back to them.”
On that play, Senining was on the receiving end of a flagrant foul from Siquijor guard Jopet Quiro. His Adam’s apple still hurting, he trooped to the line and then shot the first free throw with his left hand before shooting the next with his right.
The play gained a lot of notoriety and was severely criticized by basketball personalities including several PBA stars.
Senining said the play was born out of the opposing team’s disrespect toward the game, but later on, he also realized that he too ended up showing the same disrespect.
“My emotions were very high. I forgot that we were on live. I was on autopilot. I disrespected the game as well,” shared Senining.
“I’m really sorry to all the basketball enthusiasts in the Philippines. I admit that I was wrong and it would never happen again.
I’ve learned my mistake. It was really unacceptable,” he continued. “It’s going to haunt me for the rest of my life, but one thing’s for sure, if that situation happens again, I’ll know what to think and what to do.”
On the verge of tears, Senining appealed for forgiveness from everyone who saw the clip.
“I’m very sorry. If you were offended with what I did, I hope one day, maybe not now, that you would be able to forgive me. Sometimes in life, we won’t be able to control all our emotions. Emotions get the best of us. To everyone who saw what I did, especially those in the pro league, I’m very sorry. It was a bad sight to see.”
Siquijor was banned from the league with its players and coaches barred from joining any other team in future competitions.
Senining explained that he and the rest of his teammates wanted to make a statement that they shouldn’t have to go up against teams or players that treat the game this way.
“We prepared so much and then that’s how they show up for the game? Of course, the veterans on our team felt disrespected,” shared Senining. “We tried to do what they did to us because we wanted to have the game stopped but we didn’t know what to do. We didn’t want to play.”
At the end of the day, Senining said he had his faults and accepted the repercussions of his actions.
“I have to face the consequences of my action, and I’m looking forward to becoming a better version of myself. I’m really sorry to all those I hurt,” he said. “I’ll bounce back from this, and I’ll prove to you guys that I’m not that type of player—I play the game the right way.”