An apologetic Rendell Senining on Thursday explained his actions during the much-maligned Pilipinas VisMin Cup game between Lapu-Lapu and Siquijor that led to multiple bans, fines and suspensions on players and coaches involved.
Senining, the Lapu-Lapu City player identified as the man who alternately shot free throws with his left and right hand late in a dubious second quarter, said he and the Heroes simply "served back" the type of game the Mystics were playing on Wednesday.
"We just tried to do what they did to us because we wanted the game stopped. We thought maybe someone, like the commissioner or whoever was watching in the venue, would see that the game was being played out badly," Senining said on Mikee100, a YouTube channel hosted by former University of the Philippines guard Mikee Reyes.
"We couldn't think of a better idea," he continued. "The coaches weren't involved. It was a discussion that just happened among players. But we did tell the coach, 'If the game is being played like this, we shouldn't play anymore.' He didn't order us anything."
On Thursday, the league announced the lifetime ban of the Siquijor team and meted a P1-million peso fine on the Mystics. Lapu-Lapu, on the other hand, avoided expulsion, though six of its players and head coach Francis Auquico were suspended and fined accordingly.
But among all Lapu-Lapu players, it was Senining who sustained the brunt of the punishment from the league.
Senining, a former Ateneo de Cebu guard who committed to National University in 2013 before transferring to Far Eastern University in 2016, earned a suspension for the rest of the tournament on top of the P15,000-peso fine handed out to all Heroes players.
"Never in my life was I put in that situation. I didn't know what to do. I was questioning myself, I was questioning the players, like, 'What the hell was going on?'" said Senining. "All I knew was that they disrespected the game that I love, personally. It was a sad sight to see. It will haunt me forever."
Senining, who also briefly played for Marinerong Pilipino in the PBA D-League before the coronavirus pandemic shelved the 2020 season, alleged that he felt "there was something fishy" going on from the Siquijor side as early as the first quarter. Lapu-Lapu wrapped up the opening frame with a 23-5 lead.
"When we scored about 10, 12 points, we noticed that their body language looked different. Very, very unusual behavior," he said. "They gave us easy baskets. I commend them because they were really good at it. They really acted it out."
"When the lead grew, that's when I noticed that they were really letting us score," Senining added. "I have never encountered a team who deliberately wanted to lose. It was very unusual for me. I don't have a vast knowledge of the basketball world that much, but I knew there was something fishy going on."
Things took a turn for the worse in the second period, where both teams combined to score a grand total of 12 points. At halftime, Lapu-Lapu and Siquijor combined to shoot 4-for-29 from the line, with the Mystics missing all 10 of their shots.
"We really prepared for that game for them, but it wasn't our game plan for them to let us drive in open lanes," said Senining. "The officials and our head coach actually approached their coach to tell them to play properly because it was really a bad sight. It was disrespectful to the game."
"We were shouting among ourselves in the bench about how the game was terrible, we shouldn't be playing anymore, that they were disrespecting the game. Just voices out of frustration."
Seninng entered the controversial second quarter with 1:49 left on the clock. Less than 20 seconds later, the 25-year-old guard became the recipient of an unsportsmanlike foul from Siquijor's Jopet Quiro.
"When I got in, as a point guard I tried to set up plays and do what's best for my team because that game was very crucial for us as a team," he said. "And then the guy with Hulk arms fouled me. He had huge hands and hit my Adam's apple. I was smiling at first but I actually couldn't even swallow, and until yesterday I was still feeling the pain so I even iced it."
Senining proceeded to deliberately miss both freebies with his left and right hand. While he said the shots were his answer to Siquijor's listless play, he did admit that what he did was wrong.
"My emotions were running high, and I forgot we were live because the venue was very quiet. I was on auto-pilot," he said of his free throws. "My coaches shouted, 'Rendell, play the game the right way!' That's why I looked behind me during that play.
"Honestly I kinda disrespected the game as well. I mean who in their right mind would shoot a left-handed free throw, right? I knew it was wrong," he added. "I am sorry. I admit that I was wrong. It won't happen again because I've learned from my mistakes."
The game was eventually called off due to a "power interruption" at halftime, though two more VisMin Cup games were played later on that day.
Amid mounting criticisms from basketball fans and personalities online, Senining said that he and his Lapu-Lapu teammates were not involved in any kind of game-fixing during the match.
"No game-fixing happened," he said. "Knowing our team -- our boss, Jason Arquisola, and our coaches who came from the Ateneo de Cebu program -- we're here to play the game right. We're not perfect. Our coaches and the players are new to the league and new to being pros. We didn't handle it right. We handled it poorly. But it was never our intention to disrespect or fix the game.
"The veterans who were also affected -- kuya Reed Juntilla, Hercules Tangkay, (Ferdinand) Lusdoc, (Dawn) Ochea, Monbert Arong, John Abad -- this team came here for a reason. We practiced for two months with rigorous training. Usually we only had one day off a week. We really wanted to win this tournament. We really wanted to make a statement, and we really wanted to make a name for the ARQ Builders," he continued.
"It's unlikely for our players here to do that kind of stuff. Our boss provided what we need. He's generous. There's no reason for us to do that. The accusations that we needed money, that we needed provide for our family, that's very wrong. We were blessed."
While Senining respects the decisions that VisMin made in the aftermath of the incident, he did send out a plea for the league to reconsider.
"At the end of the day, we're here to play the game that we love," he said. "In behalf of my team, we ask for your forgiveness, to (VisMin Cup chief operating officer) Mr. Rocky Chan, to the Games and Amusements Board, to everyone in the venue and organized this. We know the sacrifices you made for us just to establish this league, and we don't want to waste that effort.
"I love the game of basketball. I would go through up and downs, blood, sweat and tears just to play the game. Even if I have an injury, I'd play. That's how much I love the game," he added. "Starting from now on, we're going to do things right."