RISING Ginebra star RJ Abarrientos faced frightening situations last Sunday night: He received death threats online after the Kings fell to the Meralco Bolts in Game 2 of their quarterfinals clash last Friday night.
In the do-or-die third tiff, Abarrientos’ side battled Meralco to a nip-and-tuck affair until a key second-half surge propelled the Kings to a gutsy 94-87 victory to reach the semifinals of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The 5-foot-11 nephew of pro league great Johnny said he simply shrugged off all the distractions.
“Mahirap sa part ko kasi alam naman natin, medyo alarming iyong nangyari. Pero for me, we just need to move on kasi may game,” Abarrientos said.
“Mahirap kasi hindi biro iyong nangyari kasi family matters. Medyo nadamay iyong family ko, especially nasa public places kami palagi,” he added.
Abarrientos missed a four-point shot in the endgame of Game 2 that would have sent the game into overtime.
“Grabe talaga ang mga tao sa social media. Talo lang sa pusta, biglang death threats, pati pamilya dinadamay pa. Paki-report! Nakakaalarma na iyong ganitong ugali,” Abarrientos said on his Instagram account on the heels of the Kings’ 104-18 loss last Friday.
“Naglalaro kami nang maayos, at trabaho namin ito, parte ng basketball ang matalo. Sa mga kapwa kong players hindi dapat tino-tolerate iyong ganito.”
A dummy account suggested on social media that Abarrientos needed to be shot to death.
The National Bureau of Investigation is probing the incident, with pro league chief Willie Marcial and San Miguel Corporation sports director Alfrancis Chua providing a big boost to Abarrientos’ safety and security.
“Pinag-pray ko lang din na sana maging maayos. Nagpapasalamat din ako kay boss Al at kay Commissioner Willie na hindi nila ako pinabayaan,” Abarrientos said.
“Ibinigay ko sa kanila. Nag-focus lang ako sa game. Kinalimutan ko na iyon.”
And how should he respond to death threats?
Abarrientos totaled 16 points, four rebounds, and three assists in sudden death.
Now Abarrientos, 25, can shift his sights on their Last Four duel with eliminations top seed NorthPort.
“Fast-paced game kasi alam naman natin iyong NorthPort isa sa mga youngest teams dito sa PBA,” he said. “May reason kaya sila nag-No. 1. Kailangan namin pag-igihan ito.
“We just need to see all the films na puwede naming makuhang advantage against NorthPort.”
