LA Tenorio sees his new function as Magnolia coach as a marathon, not a dash.
The 41-year-old spent practically 20 years operating the present on the hardwood, together with the final 13 years with Barangay Ginebra. Now entering into a brand new capability as Magnolia’s head coach, the seasoned guard admits he’s nonetheless studying the ropes of his new function, and even getting used to being known as ‘Coach.’
“‘Di pa rin sanay, pero masasanay rin ‘yan paunti-unti. Paunti-unti, I’m getting used to it, getting there, pero there are nonetheless a whole lot of issues to work on,” Tenorio stated through the PBA Rookie Draft final Sunday.
“Bilog lang talaga ang mundo, maliit lang talaga ‘yung mundo ng basketball, so I’m simply pleased with the chance. Ang daming puwedeng maging coach dito, pero there’s a function kung bakit ako andito,” he added.
Magnolia has earned the tag “Intro boys” in recent times, typically falling brief within the playoffs regardless of sturdy showings within the elimination spherical.
Within the current Season 49 Philippine Cup, as an example, the Hotshots wrapped up the elimination spherical with an 8–3 document, good for a twice-to-beat benefit within the quarterfinals. Nevertheless, Magnolia squandered the sting, struggling back-to-back losses to TNT to bow out of the All-Filipino tourney.
Tenorio is absolutely conscious of Magnolia’s struggles however emphasised that they don’t seem to be dashing the rebuild. Nonetheless, he believes his familiarity with the gamers, and theirs with him, could possibly be the important thing to turning the crew’s fortunes round.
“Hindi ko masasabi ‘yan (not being ‘Intro boys’), like what I’ve instructed the gamers, we simply should work and see what is going to occur,” Tenorio, an eight-time PBA champion, added.
“Isa sa mga natutunan ko, successful shouldn’t be all the pieces. Nakakuha ka nga ng panalo, pero ‘di mo naman nakuha ‘yung pinaka-goal mo, so for me, as a brand new coach, we simply should be affected person and belief the method.”
Magnolia, the final franchise to attain a Grand Slam in 2014, hasn’t lifted a championship in seven years. Its final title got here within the 2018 Governors’ Cup, the place it defeated Alaska in six video games underneath coach Chito Victolero.
Since then, the closest Magnolia has come to a different crown had been three runner-up finishes. And whereas the strain to revive the crew’s misplaced glory looms giant, Tenorio underscored the significance of trusting the method.
“I need to win, however we need to study and get higher from every sport, whether or not we win or lose. We have to take one thing away from each sport we play,” he stated.
“In fact, pagka-matagal-tagal na, gusto na naming manalo. Pero this isn’t a dash, however a marathon.”
—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Built-in Information