THE outpouring of love and support is making Barangay Ginebra captain LA Tenorio even more determined to fully recover from the personal crisis he’s currently undergoing.
Alfrancis Chua gives update on LA Tenorio
Team governor Alfrancis Chua said Tenorio was overwhelmed with all the prayers and concern extended to him by the entire Philippine basketball community and majority of cage fans shortly after he came out in the open and admitted being diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer.
“He was obviously touched with all the kind words and heartfelt support na ipinararating sa kanya. Nakakataba daw ng puso,” said Chua, also sports director of San Miguel Corporation (SMC).
The acknowledged ‘Iron Man’ of the PBA, Tenorio had surgery in Singapore two weeks ago and is now cancer-free, but has been advised to undergo chemo treatment by the first week of April.
Yet, the 38-year-old veteran playmaker still does his usual routine and was at the Barangay Ginebra practice on the eve of Game One of the Kings’ Governors Cup semifinals series against San Miguel Beer.
“Kundisyon pa sa kabayo ito,” was how Chua describes Tenorio.
The Ginebra official said Tenorio volunteered to help Tim Cone and his coaching staff to prepare the Kings as they go deep into the playoffs in their bid to win the season-ending conference for the third straight time.
And as he recovers from his health condition, the eight-time champion and four-time Finals MVP already has a timeline for his possibile return on the court.
“He said his going to play again in October,” said Chua, obviously referring to the league’s 48th season, which kicks off at around that time.
Until he suffered a groin injury and later fell ill, Tenorio led the league for not missing a single game in his entire career, playing 744 consecutive games in a span of 17 seasons that earned for him the moniker as the league’s ‘Iron Man.’
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