ANTIPOLO – Frustration has obviously boiled over for rookie coach LA Tenorio.
Usually accommodating with post-game interviews win or lose, Tenorio clammed up on Wednesday moments after Magnolia fell on the brink of elimination against defending champion TNT in their PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinal at the Ynares Center.
Following the 91-73 loss, the Hotshots have found themselves staring at a 0-2 deficit against the Tropang 5G and needing to sweep three games to advance past the quarterfinals for the first time under Tenorio.
READ TNT's Game 2 romp leaves Magnolia on brink of another sorry exit
Disappointed with the way his team folded up in the endgame, Tenorio hardly said a word inside the Magnolia dugout after the game.
And for someone who's usually the last one to leave the dugout – both as a player and coach – the 42-year-old eight-time PBA champion was the first to leave the dressing room all by his lonesome, not bothering to stop for a chat as he headed straight to the parking lot at the back of the venue.
His actions were understandable.
Magnolia battled back from an early 17-point lead and threatened at 51-49 inside the 9:30 mark of the third period on a three-pointer by import KJ Buffen.
But just as quickly, TNT went on a counter-attack in the form of a 17-4 run behind import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Roger Pogoy, Rey Nambatac, Calvin Oftana, and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser to stretch back the lead to 68-53 on RHJ’s pull-up jumper from the three-point region with 3:55 to go in the quarter.
Tenorio then called a timeout and that’s when the dam burst.
“What are we doing? What the f***k are we doing? You look like s**t inside. Each and every one of you,” hollered Tenorio in the huddle, his frustration caught by the TV cameras.
“You got to think, not only play. You got to think!” added the Magnolia coach, before slamming his board to the floor.
Not even Tenorio’s rare outburst on the sidelines was able to lit a fire in the belly of the Hotshots, who eventually trailed by as many as 84-60 in the final quarter.
Buffen had 24 points and 13 rebounds and Zav Lucero added 16 and nine rebounds for Magnolia, which shot a poor 33 percent from the field (25-of-74) and had 15 turnovers to just nine by TNT.
The Hotshots, who entered the playoffs as the top-seeded team in their group, will now try to save their season as they face a win-or-go-home scenario on Saturday when Game 3 is played at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
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