LA Tenorio of Barangay Ginebra (No. 5) FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra San Miguel point guard LA Tenorio was one of the last players to come out of the losing dugout Sunday night.
Following the Kings’ Game 3 defeat, Tenorio held his head high as he walked towards the Araneta Coliseum back exit before getting stopped by a few reporters. For him, getting swept doesn’t change anything about his team.
“I’m still proud of this team. I’m proud what we’re able to achieve this conference,” said a banged up Tenorio, whose bag wrapped around his left shoulder kind of like how he carried his ailing teammates throughout the Playoffs en route to an improbable Finals appearance.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of,” he added. “Perhaps there’s a better plan for us.”
But perhaps no one could ever write an even better script for the Kings this conference.
Ginebra battled through elimination four times in the quarterfinals against Rain or Shine and in the semifinals vs Talk ‘N Text but just couldn’t muster enough strength against top seed Alaska as Tenorio and his teammates finally gave in to fatigue.
Tenorio backed up his Best Player of the Conference award with 18 points, three rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes.
The veteran playmaker also said that Ginebra would come back as an even better team.
“Definitely we will be stronger next conference, lahat ng mga injured players namin babalik.”