Barangay Ginebra guard LA Tenorio badly wants to add the Philippine Cup crown to PBA titles he has won. The five-time PBA champion has yet to win an All-Filipino title.
“Lahat ng championship ko with imports,” said Tenorio, who won four with the Justin Brownlee-reinforced Ginebra (2016, 2017 and 2019 Governors’ Cup and 2018 Commissioners Cup) and one with the Alaska Aces (2010 Fiesta Conference) with import Diamon Simpson.
He even joked that if only Brownlee could be reinforced then they would have certainly won an All-Filipino crown by now.
“I’m really determined to win the All-Filipino. Kung mana-naturalize lang namin si Justin (Brownlee and get him to play as a local), nakuha na namin ang All-Filipino. Ganoon ko kagusto makuha ang all-Filipino,” said Tenorio.
“Iba kasi iyung all-Filipino. Alam naman natin yun. But it’s not easy; kung mahirap itong pinagdaanan namin sa Governors’ Cup, siguro mas triple pagdadaanan namin to get that championship.”
The 35-year-old Tenorio is confident of his team’s chances in the Philippine Cup especially after their dominant run in the past Governors’ Cup.
“I think with the way we played as a team, especially on defense, (we’ll have a chance). I hope madala namin ito sa all-Filipino,” he said.
Tenorio actually won three basketball crowns in succession.
Tenorio, working as assistant coach, helped lead the underdog Letran Knights past the San Beda Red Lions to rule the NCAA basketball tournament last November.
Three weeks later, Tenorio and the Gilas Pilipinas basketball team won the Southeast Asian Games gold medal.
The victory in the PBA Governors’ Cup capped Tenorio’s winning run.
“Sobrang blessed ako,” said the grateful pride of Batangas.
Tenorio said he dedicated Ginebra’s triumph to fellow Batangueños who were hurt by the eruption of Taal Volcano.
“Alam ko sobrang naghihirap sila ngayon. Sana kahit paano, we put a smile on their faces,” said the Ginebra star, who has relatives in Taal town.