BARANGAY Ginebra was back on the grind on Monday and looks ahead with a lot of optimism to its campaign in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The Kings came in full force at the Upper Deck gym in their first official practice for the midseason conference, barely two weeks after being beaten by three-peat champion San Miguel Beermen in the Philippine Cup Finals.
The 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Beermen in the best-of-seven finals are now all part of the past, but something from which Ginebra learned a lot as it aspires to go all the way this time.
“Tapos na yun, and ang focus na namin ngayon is yung conference na ito,” LA Tenorio related to SPIN.ph. “Of course, paghahandaan namin ito kasi gusto naming makapasok uli sa finals and magkaroon ng opportunity to win another title.”
The Kings are bringing back Justin Brownlee as import in the season’s second conference in the hope of duplicating the success they had with him in the Governors Cup last year.
Brownlee had already started practicing as early as last week along with some Ginebra players who showed up early for camp.
Most of the starters, on the other hand, including Tenorio, opted to take a few days off. LA himself went to Malaysia with his family and then to Hong Kong with close friends.
“Nag-start na actually yung iba na mag-ensayo, pero yung regular na practice namin kanina lang. Balik na lahat ng mga players,” said the Ginebra playmaker.
The Kings won’t play their first game in the conference until April 1 when they tangle with the Phoenix Fuel Masters in Davao City.
“Medyo matagal-tagal pa bago kami maglaro kaya magandang opportunity na maibalik yung kundisyon, then yung game shape,” Tenorio pointed out.
“Wala na din naman kaming time to have a tune-up game kasi nga start na rin 'yung conference.”