MAGNOLIA coach LA Tenorio is upbeat about the future of the ballclub despite their early exit in the PBA 50th Season Philippine Cup playoffs.
Tenorio said he looks forward to the time his players get their act together after their first conference together. A couple of players in rookies Yukien Andrada and Chris Koon arrived midway through the conference, while others such as Jerom Lastimosa and Paul Lee sat out due to injuries.
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The Hotshots lost four of their last five games including a loss to TNT in the quarterfinals where as the sixth seeds, they were in a twice-to-win disadvantage after finishing the elimination round with a 6-5 win-loss record.
“I’m really okay with the composition of the team right now. If you think about it, I can use 11 to 12 players that can really play. So, it’s just a matter of how they will blend,” said Tenorio.
“Malaking bagay din kasi na wala si Jerom then si Paul, tapos pumasok si Yukien, si Chris Koon, pumasok in the middle of the conference. So there’s a lot of things that we need to build together. We can’t put in players na this day or this week. Hindi na eh. I want to build this team with this composition. Nakita niyo naman ‘yung potential. Obvious naman ‘yung potential. We will build from here.”
Tenorio said the early playoff exit is a reminder that Hotshots remain a work in progress. And for them to become a true contender in the league, they have to go through teams such as the Tropang 5G in the playoffs.
“We were outplayed, outcoached by TNT. I remember, sinabi ko sa kanila, we really have to expect TNT to really come out really strong… and they did. Sinabi ko sa kanila na if we want to be one of the best teams here in the PBA, we have to beat the best team. And for us to do that, we have to beat Talk ‘N Text.
“What I like is they kept fighting. Hindi sila nag-back down kaagad. I thought they fought all the way, but again, the most important thing right now is for us to look into this conference. May mga kailangan kaming iimprove, especially this kind of games. We have to be prepared to play this kind of games, playoff games,” said Tenorio.
Tenorio is also assessing himself in his first foray as head coach, where he went up against TNT and former Gilas Pilipinas mentor Chot Reyes in his first playoff series.
“I just have to take a look at myself first, ‘yung mga kailangan kong i-improve,” said Tenorio. “Definitely, against Coach Chot, iba. If I was also coaching and I did not play, ‘yun din masasabi ko na na-outcoach ako kasi ganun talaga.
"Just like my players na they still have a lot of things to learn, lalo na ako. Sabi ko nga kay Coach Chot, dami akong natutunan not only in [the quarterfinals game] but this conference. I will get better, but I have to take a look at myself in the mirror also.
“When we get back, we will get back stronger. Sabi ko nga sa kanila, we don’t have any choice. We have to get back stronger. If we don’t, then might as well not join the PBA anymore next conference. Make this a big lesson for us,” said Tenorio.
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