LA Tenorio has found a new purpose in basketball despite not being able to play and join his brothers inside the court – and that is to impart the knowledge and experiences during his days with Gilas to the new generation.
*FIBA World Cup local ambassadors LA Tenorio and June Mar Fajardo (second and third to the right) FIBA World Cup executive director David Crocker, SMC Sports Director Al Francis Chua and SBP President Al Panlilio. (Reynald Magallon)*
The veteran court general, who continues to recover after being diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer, remained active in taking part in basketball activities, often seen at the sidelines with Barangay Ginebra during the PBA Finals, and now as part of the FIBA World Cup as one of its local ambassadors. Tenorio was part of the historic Gilas team that saw action in the 2014 World Cup in Spain, ending the country’s 40-year absence in the world stage. The legend that he, along with the likes of Jayson Castro, Jimmy Alapag, Marc Pingris and Andray Blatche, created after standing their ground against some of the best before eventually picking up the country’s first win in the World Cup against Senegal, reverberates up to this day with the country now leading the three-nation hosting of the world meet. While what he’s doing right now is entirely different from what he used to do when he was still playing for Gilas, Tenorio sees it as another purpose while he is still in touch with basketball. “It’s a different approach for me before time namin naglalaro ako. It’s a different service to our country now, being an ambassador. It's another experience for me, another purpose for me that’s why I’m still here in basketball,” said Tenorio. “Sobrang really looking forward na pwede kong gawin and I’m happy to help kung ano pa yung mga pwede ko pa matulong for the upcoming FIBA World Cup,” he added. Seeing the new breed of Gilas players—some of which are his teammates in Ginebra—make the sacrifices for the country, Tenorio admitted that it motivates him to also get better with his condition. “Seeing these young guys playing and sacrificing everything they’ve got everyday in practice, doon pa lang namomotivate na ako, especially with my condition right now, doon pa lang namo-motivate ako to get better and get back on the court,” shared Tenorio. “Same as my journey, it's not gonna be easy pero maganda yung may goal ka eh. With that journey na ginagawa mo with all those sacrifices, I'm pretty sure, 100 percent it will pay off,” he added.
*FIBA World Cup local ambassadors LA Tenorio and June Mar Fajardo (second and third to the right) FIBA World Cup executive director David Crocker, SMC Sports Director Al Francis Chua and SBP President Al Panlilio. (Reynald Magallon)*
The veteran court general, who continues to recover after being diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer, remained active in taking part in basketball activities, often seen at the sidelines with Barangay Ginebra during the PBA Finals, and now as part of the FIBA World Cup as one of its local ambassadors. Tenorio was part of the historic Gilas team that saw action in the 2014 World Cup in Spain, ending the country’s 40-year absence in the world stage. The legend that he, along with the likes of Jayson Castro, Jimmy Alapag, Marc Pingris and Andray Blatche, created after standing their ground against some of the best before eventually picking up the country’s first win in the World Cup against Senegal, reverberates up to this day with the country now leading the three-nation hosting of the world meet. While what he’s doing right now is entirely different from what he used to do when he was still playing for Gilas, Tenorio sees it as another purpose while he is still in touch with basketball. “It’s a different approach for me before time namin naglalaro ako. It’s a different service to our country now, being an ambassador. It's another experience for me, another purpose for me that’s why I’m still here in basketball,” said Tenorio. “Sobrang really looking forward na pwede kong gawin and I’m happy to help kung ano pa yung mga pwede ko pa matulong for the upcoming FIBA World Cup,” he added. Seeing the new breed of Gilas players—some of which are his teammates in Ginebra—make the sacrifices for the country, Tenorio admitted that it motivates him to also get better with his condition. “Seeing these young guys playing and sacrificing everything they’ve got everyday in practice, doon pa lang namomotivate na ako, especially with my condition right now, doon pa lang namo-motivate ako to get better and get back on the court,” shared Tenorio. “Same as my journey, it's not gonna be easy pero maganda yung may goal ka eh. With that journey na ginagawa mo with all those sacrifices, I'm pretty sure, 100 percent it will pay off,” he added.