Following a PBA playing career that started in the mid-2000s, LA Tenorio now finds himself on the other side of the equation.
Throughout his career as a player that saw him win championships at every level of competition, and even through the time he courageously battled cancer, LA Tenorio has been the epitome of a winner.
Now, as he enters his 40s, Tenorio is taking on a new and different challenge where he hopes to pass on his winning mentality to the Magnolia Hotshots and coach them to their first PBA title since 2018.
But Tenorio, who replaced Chito Victolero in July, isn’t putting too much pressure on himself just yet.
“I’m enjoying my time right now,” he said during PBA Media Day. “I don’t want to think about what’s gonna happen next, what’s gonna happen this coming opening or this season. I just like what I’m seeing right now sa team namin.
“With the composition of vets and young players sa team namin ngayon, I like what I’m seeing every day. They really work hard. They work every day, they work hard every day.”
The Hotshots have long had defense as their calling card, and Tenorio isn’t going to stray too far from that.
“Defensively, wala naman ako kailangang baguhin sa kanila. Actually, this team is always a top three defensive team. So naturally, they’re all defenders. It’s just a matter of how we put together the new system na binibigay ko sa kanila.
But overall, wala na ako masyadong binago with that. Kasi defense is all about just effort. I think this team is naturally magbigay ng effort kahit in practice. They practice like they’re in the game. Sometimes I have to pull them kasi sobra na e. So ako pa yung nagpu-pull sa kanila. But system-wise, so far, so good. But I’m not saying we’re gonna be good right away.”
The Hotshots went shopping for a new coach following consecutive disappointing finishes in the past several conferences, including some instances where they would top the elimination round only to falter in the playoffs.
This means there’s pressure on LA Tenorio to make a meaningful difference quickly. But he seeks to temper such expectations.
“I always tell the team that I’m not expecting us to be good right away. I just want them to take every game or every step at a time like baby steps. Because again, they’re learning my system. At the same time, I’m learning also as a coach. So we cannot hurry. Hindi namin kailangang madaliin lahat.
“We still have time. We have a long conference, probably long season. If we can go through this all-Filipino with a good standing, why not? But again, I’m not pressuring my team to be great right away. I just want them to be competitive-ready and game-ready at the start of the conference. And then from there, we build.”
Learning from the best
LA Tenorio has been under some of the best coaches in Philippine history: Ato Badolato in high school, Joe Lipa, Joel Banal and Norman Black in college, Chot Reyes on Gilas Pilipinas and Tim Cone in the PBA.
Yet among all those names, he says it’s Cone who has had the biggest influence on his coaching philosophy.
“One of the biggest helps na meron sa akin talaga was definitely coach Tim,” he said. “All my championships were under coach Tim. So definitely, how he coached, how he handles the team, probably. Pulot-pulot ako doon kung anong puwede kong magawa.”
Even as a player, though, Tenorio would already jot down useful information he would pick up from other coaches.
“Sometimes, I’d take down notes before even for the national team before under coach Chot when we went to different countries to compete. Sometimes, may nakikilala kaming mga coaches. Sometimes, I’d take down notes so nababalikan ko. But overall, it’s coach Tim.”
Another coach who has helped him transition early on is Cone’s longtime assistant Richard del Rosario.
“I think also I can mention coach Richard. So far, he’s been mentoring me from Batang Gilas and then here, dito na sa PBA. Even though we’re in a different team right now, I still ask questions kasi yung ginagawa namin sa Batang Gilas.”
He’s also picked up a few things from Black and Reyes.
“Like coach Norman’s system. Defensive system ni coach Norman. Coach Chot, how he handles the team to be on one page. That’s coach Chot. Very good at that.”
Finally, he’s had a full circle moment with regard to his former head coach at Ginebra.
“Siguro blessing din talaga na nagkaroon ako ng maraming coaches. And then now, coach Juno (Sauler) is with me. He’s my first assistant. He was my coach before in Ginebra for one conference. Now, coach Juno is the one helping me. So, nagtutugma-tugma.”
LA the playing coach?
But wait. Has LA Tenorio really traded in his sneakers for a clip board?
The answer isn’t as straightforward as you’d think. He admits he still scrimmages with his team from time to time, and when the final lineup of the Hotshots was submitted, he saw his name on the injured list. This means that he can easily be activated at any time to play.
But will he?
“We never know,” he said coyly. I’m part of the lineup. So, we’ll see. It depends on the management. But for now, I’m not focused on that.
“My (player) rights are with Magnolia now. I saw the final lineup that we submitted the other day and I was in the injury list. So, I have a chance.”
If he does decide to combine coaching with playing, LA Tenorio knows that he will inevitably be compared to a living legend. The last playing coach in the PBA was Sonny Jaworski, whose shoes are too enormous for anyone to fill.
“We’ll see,” he said. “Basically, it’s going to be a hard decision for me also because I’m coaching at the same time. I think there’s only one person who can do that and it’s Coach Sonny. Siyempre, high respect tayo diyan. Now, kung magagawa ko, then why not? We’ll see. I just want to be ready. Sometimes, we never know what’s going to happen.”
So will he or won’t he?
“I’m not retired yet,” he said with a smile. “I didn’t mention that I’m retired.”
Banner Images from Sid Ventura