LA FINALLY TAKES OVER
LA Tenorio heaved a huge sigh of relief when he recorded 22 points and four assists to carry Barangay Ginebra to a 101-92 win over Alaska on Tuesday.
“Finally, I had a chance to take over the game, with the help of my teammates din,” Tenorio said after the Kings snapped a three-game skid. “Kahit sila, hinihintay din nila yung game ko na ganito. They helped me a lot in this game, the small things. They know that I can take over the game so lahat sila, parang tinulungan din nila ako. It’s not me, but the whole team. We just played our game.”
It is understandable that Tenorio finally got that thorn off of his system after a lot of fans faulted him for the Kings’ recent struggle. But LA said that in the midst all of those criticisms hurled at him, he wishes that the fans will also be respectful of them as players.
“As players, and I’m speaking in behalf of the team, we respect all the fans. Nirerespeto namin sila, so respeto din sa mga players,” he said. “The past few days, tinatawanan ko na lang. Pero may isa akong sinagot dun, below the line na yun kaya medyo nag-init din ako. Baka makita din ng pamilya ko, so di rin maganda eh.
“Sanay na rin ako dyan, but sometimes, you really just have to keep quiet at pag may di ka nagustuhan na statement, di ko pinapansin yung ganyan. Nababasa ko pero di ko pinapansin. Pero pag sobra na, pag wala ng respeto, papansinin mo na.”
Tenorio said that he just used all of those as a motivation as he finally broke out of his slump in this Alaska game.
“It’s a motivation also. But I’d rather take it as a challenge na lang cause I know myself na I’m really struggling, the whole team is struggling. The most important thing for me now is getting back on the winning track,” he said.
“What all the players are asking from all the fans is to just respect the players. We’re not going to the game just to play the game. We’re really working hard every day in practice. May panahon lang talaga na nagsta-struggle. Basketball is not only an individual game. It’s a team game. May mga nangyayari na di nila nalalaman. Minsan, kailangan lang talaga yung pasensya.” (RL)
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