‘Tough, tough, tough job’
LA Tenorio acknowledged that almost everything still feels new to him as he treks the new chapter of his basketball life—the daunting task of steering the Magnolia Hotshots back to championship glory.
“I know it’s a tough, tough, tough job to do,” said Tenorio during Sunday’s PBA Rookie Draft. “But like I said to the players, I’m excited to do something special.”
It’s been more than a month since San Miguel Corp. decided to make a move and tapped Tenorio to call the shots for the Hotshots, whose title ambitions had ended up in the rubble for some time now.
Magnolia has not won since Tenorio’s predecessor, Chito Victolero, steered the Hotshots to the 2018 Governors’ Cup crown. The team lost its next three trips to the Finals since.
As part of the changes after Tenorio’s arrival, Magnolia acquired Javi Gomez de Liano from Terrafirma before signing him to a three-year deal while also tabbing Paolo Taha as an unrestricted free agent.
Magnolia also used the Draft to take San Beda’s Yukien Andrada, who can be a reliable stretch forward, though he won’t be available until after the conclusion of NCAA Season 101.
No more ‘Introvoys’?
Magnolia’s offseason changes were also felt at the management side with Jason Webb succeeding long-time team governor Rene Pardo, and Erick Arejola, who had been serving as NorthPort team governor, joining the squad.
Arejola can only describe himself as a “consultant” when asked what his exact role is with the Hotshots.
But will those changes help Magnolia shed its “Introvoys” tag that fans have labeled the team for usually coming up short in the games that matter?
“I can’t really say,” said Tenorio. “But one thing that I’ve learned is that you can’t just win without achieving your goal. We have to be patient and we have to trust the process with me as the new coach and with the new system.
“We’re taking it one day at a time and we have to realize that we don’t need to win games, we just have to learn, to get better and let’s see what happens come playoff time,” he added.
Tenorio has won multiple championships, mostly with rival Barangay Ginebra, and has had memorable moments playing for Gilas Pilipinas. He will lean on those experiences, among many, as the league’s “Iron Man” continues the learning curve of dealing with the high-stakes pressure of being a PBA coach.
“I’ve done something special for a lot of teams, even with the national team, and hopefully I could bring that to Magnolia. I’m excited about what’s in store for us in the future.”
