LA TENORIO continued his stellar performance in the playoffs in the closeout Game Four of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.
Tenorio scored 18 points and shot 4-of-5 from threes to help Barangay Ginebra clinch a finals berth with a 99-84 win over Magnolia Chicken Timplados on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
[READ: Ginebra puts away hard-luck Ginebra in Game 4]
After a lackluster eliminations, Tenorio has now scored in double figures in four out of the six playoff games the Gin Kings have played.
Unknown to many, Tenorio has been playing with a calf injury, which is why ending the series on Wednesday, instead of being forced to play a rubber match on Friday, was important for Tim Cone
“People don’t know that he has been playing through a calf injury,” the Ginebra coach said. “He needs all the rehab and rest that he can get. This is big for us to be able to finish it in Game Four."
The 38-year-old Tenorio said he suffered the calf injury before the playoffs, and since then has been wearing added protective gear to avoid aggravating it.
Despite playing hurt in the middle of the Ginebra playoff run, Tenorio eclipsed James Yap for No. 3 in the all-time three-points list to close in on Allan Caidic and leader Jimmy Alapag.
Cone said the leadership in the team was one of the reasons why Barangay Ginebra was able to get past Magnolia in the semifinals in surprisingly easy fashion, 3-1.
“One thing that is awesome about this team is how much we have great leadership. Like LA, he doesn’t just take responsibility for himself just to get prepared and get ready, get mentally locked in. He takes it upon himself that the rest of his teammates are locked in. Each teammate is responsible to get everybody locked in,” said Cone.
“Justin (Brownlee) has a lot of weapons around him. ‘Mr. Playoff Man’ here (Tenorio), he stepped up and did his thing. That’s why we are here,” said Cone.
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