Tenorio begs off from nat’l team duties due to fatigue, injury
Ginebra playmaker LA Tenorio has begged off from joining the national team to the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in Hunan, China, citing fatigue, injury and age as reasons.
After consultations with his family and close friends, Tenorio said he has decided to focus his attention on his PBA mother ball club.
“Leave of absence lang naman muna sa national team. Kapag tinawag pa rin next year, I’m ready to play. Malapit sa puso ko ang national team. But at this time, huwag muna,” said Tenorio on Sports Chat over Sports Radio 918.
“Matagal ko itong pinag-isipan. Mahirap na diskusyunan sa pamilya at malalapit na kaibigan. Habang bakasyon, feeling ko kung dere-derecho akong lalaro sa national team, unfair to both parties (national team and Ginebra),” Tenorio pointed out.
“Almost four years na akong nasa national team at evident ang fatigue factor. Evident na bumaba ang output ng laro ko last season. Yun yung fatigue factor. So I came out with this decision to be fair with both the national team and Ginebra,” he added.
From his career-best averages of 14.04 points, 5.75 assists and 1.48 steals plus 5.0 rebounds in his first season with Ginebra in 2012-13, Tenorio’s norms went down to 9.95 points, 3.8 assists, 1.49 steals and 4.3 rebounds last season.
“Kasi naman yung siko ko hindi pa completely healed at hindi na ako bumabata. Kung magde-dere-derecho ako sa Gilas, hindi rin ako magiging effective, and it’s unfair to them. Then pagbalik ko sa Ginebra, malamang hindi rin ako magiging effective, and it’s also unfair to them. So it’s time to focus on one,” said Tenorio.
A Gilas mainstay for three straight years from 2012, Tenorio deemed it better to concentrate with Ginebra especially that the team will be in adjustment period with new coach Tim Cone.
“I also put into consideration the tremendous demand at Ginebra. Grabe ang demand ng fans sa akin ng Ginebra. Kapag natatalo kami, pati pamilya ko apektado sa batikos ng fans,” he said.
And so Tenorio said he’ll continue to rest in preparation for Ginebra’s return to training.
“In four years, ngayon lang ako makakatikim ng more than 10-day rest during off-season. In the last three years, bilang na bilang ko na 10 days lang ang maximum na pahinga ko,” said Tenorio.
Tenorio highlighted his stint as a Gilas player with his MVP citation in the 2012 Jones Cup, their Jones Cup title run, 2013 FIBA Asia runner-up finish and their 2014 World Cup stint. (SB)
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