WHO would be there to cheer for LA Tenorio when Gilas Pilipinas Youth tackles Thailand in the second day of the SEABA U16 tournament?
It’s no less than Tenorio’s longtime mentor Tim Cone.
The Barangay Ginebra coach said he’ll travel from Alabang to San Fernando, Pampanga to watch his team captain try to guide the national team to a second straight win in the qualifiers of the FIBA U16 Asia Cup at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center.
READ How Boss Al's calming presence got LA through coaching debut
The host whipped Vietnam in its opening day assignment on Saturday, 113-62.
“I’m going up on Sunday to watch the game against Thailand. That’s my focus. I’m all geared up for LA,” said Cone after Ginebra’s 101-99 thriller against Blackwater in the PBA Philippine Cup on Friday night.
Cone and Tenorio of course, go a long way back during their time at Alaska starting in 2008 and eventually, winning together a championship in the 2010 Fiesta Conference.
After parting ways, the two later would be reunited at Barangay Ginebra where they have won seven titles already since coming together again in 2015.
Cone and Tenorio also worked together with the Gilas Pilipinas men's national team where the 40-year-old guard serves as one of Cone's assistant coaches.
Cone said some of the Ginebra players are also planning to watch some of the games in support to Tenorio’s first ever foray into coaching at the international level.
“I heard some of the guys are going up,” the champion coach said, but added not the entire team will be going.
Some of the Ginebra coaches and utility staff however, had been part of Tenorio’s staff in the Youth team and travelled back and forth in Pampanga and at the Philsports in Pasig for the Ginebra-Blackwater tussle.
“Six of our guys or seven are going right back to Pampanga (to be with the team),” noted Cone after the PBA Friday game. “They were there (San Fernando) in the morning.”
Deputy coach Richard Del Rosario has been included in the coaching staff of Tenorio along with Rain or Shine guard and LA’s close friend Gabe Norwood, while Junjun Atienza leads the Ginebra staff on loan to the Gilas Youth.
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