LIKE LA Tenorio, Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone is treating Sunday’s opening of the PBA 50th Season like any other game.
The ‘Manila Clasico’ unfurls on Sunday as part of a special occasion for the PBA as it begins its golden season.
It also has an interesting sidelight as Tenorio debuts as a PBA head coach at Magnolia against Cone, his mentor for 13 years with Barangay Ginebra.
READ: Tenorio treating Magnolia coaching debut vs Ginebra as 'just an ordinary game'
Gametime is at 7:30 p.m. right after the festive opening ceremony.
While opening day features a marquee match-up from the get-go, Cone would rather focus on the game itself, and keep everything in proper perspective.
“It’s Manila Clasico and going against LA, my friend and former player, so that makes it momentous,” said Cone. “However, it’s important to keep everything in perspective and understand it’s only the first game of a very long 15-month season.”
“The key for us is to stay present and lock-in to what’s right in front of us and that is today’s game,” he added.
Knowing Tenorio, Cone said the sentiments will be the same.
“As for LA, it is the same. It is the first game of a very long career where he will evolve and grow. It will be one in which he will remember, but its importance will wait over time. It is just one step of a long journey,” he said.
Barangay Ginebra won the last ‘Manila Clasico’ clash last June 1 when it defeated Magnolia, 85-81, in a Philippine Cup clash.
The Gin Kings are out for a strong start to their season where they will no longer play with Tenorio and Jamie Malonzo, who signed with Kyoto in the Japan B.League.
Japeth Aguilar is also expected to miss the opener after he went under the knife to repair a dislocated finger during the offseason.
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