JM Bravo absolved his teammate John Barba from any wrongdoing after a concerning incident during Lyceum’s game against Arellano in the NCAA Season 100 Seniors Basketball Tournament.
The incident occurred with just eight seconds left on the clock when Bravo lunged for possession, crashing chin-first into the back of Renzo Abiera’s head and losing consciousness on the court.
As Bravo lay unconscious, Barba instinctively attempted to revive him by shaking his head.
This action sparked a wave of concern on social media, with many netizens criticizing Barba’s reaction, especially given Bravo’s recent history of spinal injury.
From his hospital bed at Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Bravo took to Facebook to defend Barba, urging fans and critics alike to stop spreading negativity.
“Please STOP spreading bad vibes, bad and nonsense comments! John Barba and I are very close, and I treat him as a brother. I understand what he did, and I appreciate everyone’s concern, especially my team. So please stop making bad comments. I’m already okay and cleared,” he wrote.
Barba, reflecting on the frightening moment, expressed his panic upon seeing Bravo’s condition.
“Kanina as a brother, makita mo yung kapatid mong nagkaganun, magpa-panic ka talaga. First time ko siyang makitang ganun na tumitirik yung mata niya. Papikit na yung mata niya at walang ng itim yung mata niya. Puting-puti na talaga. Ako, nag-panic ako at ginawa ko ang lahat para magising at marinig niya ako,” he told GMA.
Acknowledging that his actions may not have been ideal, Barba emphasized the chaos of the moment: “Alam ko naman na mali yung ginawa ko pero pag nasa ganun kang situwasyon, hindi mo na alam ang gagawin mo.”
Bravo will still have one CT Scan on Sunday.
