Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
BOCAUE — Hunger has been a word constantly thrown through the course of the 2017 PBA Governors’ Cup, with both sides repeatedly saying that whoever wants the game more will win the plum.
LA Tenorio has no doubt that Ginebra was the hungrier team on Sunday as it came out like a house on fire and hounded Meralco in Game 5.
“We started really aggressive. We did it the whole game, so we ended up winning the game. I think that’s really the key when we’re aggressive defensively, offensively, it’s automatic that we’ll get the win,” Tenorio said.
With Tenorio steering the ship, the Gin Kings took control early before holding off the Bolts in the fourth.
The veteran playmaker got the job done on offense, orchestrating the flow for Ginebra with 17 points and four assists, while also doing his job on defense as he bullied the Meralco guards to also finish with six rebounds and three steals.
Tenorio’s stellar showing, though, didn’t come as a surprise to coach Tim Cone, who asked him to play extended minutes with the loss of Sol Mercado to injury in Game 4.
But the heavy minutes are the least of his concerns with the Kings only a win away from repeating as Governors’ Cup champions.
“Actually, coach Tim was apologizing to me because of my extended minutes. But I don’t care. This is the championship. I’ll just rest after the series. If I have to play for 48 minutes, I’m ready. I told him even in next game, we don’t have Sol now, so I’m ready to extend my minutes,” he said.
“Hopefully next game, we can bring this aggressiveness. But for sure, what we did today is not enough for next game. For sure, they’re going to adjust, so we just have to double our effort if we want to close out the series,” he said.
“We know what to do, so we did what we’re supposed to do. Next game, we’ll bring it.”
Game 6 is on Wednesday, still at the Philippine Arena here.