WHILE Barangay Ginebra just lost a coach in LA Tenorio, it just gained someone as valuable in return.
Johnny Abarrientos will be reunited with longtime mentor Tim Cone, as he joins the Gin Kings as part of their coaching staff, SPIN.ph learned on Wednesday
The 56-year-old Abarrientos is expected to fill the void left by Tenorio, who was appointed as shot-caller of Magnolia for the coming PBA 50th season.
READ: LA Tenorio gets down to business in first practice with Magnolia
Tenorio, who had been a playing-assistant coach, also brought with him to the Hotshots another Ginebra deputy in Kirk Collier.
Following the arrival of Tenorio at Magnolia, Abarrientos was swiftly transferred by management to the Gin Kings, where he gets to work along with fellow assistants Richard Del Rosario, Olsen Racela, and Patrick Partosa.
Significantly, Abarrientos' move meant working together again with Cone, whom he played for while he was starring for Alaska. Later on, the former became part of the Purefoods' franchise's coaching staff when the latter took the helm in 2012.
In his first full-time foray in coaching, Abarrientos found success working under the 67-year-old Cone, as they won a total of five championships in a four-year span, including a Grand Slam in 2014.
The 'Flying A' shifting over at Ginebra also meant the chance to work at a professional level with his nephew in top rookie RJ Abarrientos.
While it was with Alaska where the former league MVP really made his mark during his prime years, it was with Ginebra where he retired as a player during the 2009-10 season.
Back then, the Far Eastern University standout had already been into semi-retirement, but was forced to make a comeback and handle the Ginebra backcourt following the successive injuries suffered by Celino Cruz, Jayjay Helterbrand, and Mark Caguioa.
Abarrientos' 12th and final championship as a player also came with Ginebra during the 2007 Philippine Cup under coach Jong Uichico.
Until his latest transfer to Ginebra, Abarrientos was the longest tenured deputy of the Purefoods franchise.
He remained with the team even after Cone assumed the coaching job of Ginebra and became part of the coaching staff of Jayson Webb and later on, Chito Victolero.
It was under Victolero that Abarrientos won his last title as deputy coach during the 2018 Governors' Cup.
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