Kings bend backwards for LA

GINEBRA San Miguel has not allowed LA Tenorio to suit up for Smart Gilas 2.0, the Kings are also bending backwards to enable their prized playmaker to prepare the best he can for the Fiba Asia Cup in Tokyo.

Ginebra head coach Siot Tanquingcen on Siunday said he will be making special arrangements with Tenorio as the hero of Gilas' recent conquest of the Jones Cup begins twice-a-day practices on Monday -- one with the Kings and the other with the national team at the Philsports Arena.

After the four-team, four-player trade that sent Tenorio to Ginebra from Alaska on Friday, Tanquingcen has given the 5-7 guard the weekend off and promised that he would allow him to skip the tiring sessions to keep him fresh for his next practice with Gilas.

“Nagkausap na kami ni LA and I told him sa Monday na siya mag practice with us. Pero di naman namin siya papagurin. Basa-basa na lang muna sya sa situation kung magpa-practice na siya while also practicing with Gilas,” Tanquingcen told Spin.ph.

"But we’ll make sure he really gets acquainted with his new teammates and our system."

The Gin Kings mentor said he is happy to have Tenorio, whom he believes will play major minutes and a huge role in helping Barangay Ginebra win the Philippine Cup championship this year.

Tenorio, meantime, said he wouldn’t mind attending two practices every day until Gilas leaves for the September 14-22 tournament in Tokyo.

“Ang sacrifice para yan for the national team. So kailangan ko lang magpahinga para di na masunog. Excited ako maglaro sa Ginebra at sa Smart-Gilas,” said the heady former Alaska point guard.

National coach Chot Reyes said he expects the Fiba Asia Cup tournament to be a lot tougher than the Jones Cup.

Smart-Gilas 2.0 has inserted Talk ‘N Text forward Jared Dillinger in place of Meralco Bolts Fil-Am guard Sol Mercado because the Bolts spitfire won’t be eligible to play for the Philippines under Fiba’s strict rules even if he had suited up for the original Gilas team under Rajko Toroman in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.

Alaska’s Mac Baracael and amateur Garvo Lanete, members of the 14-man Jones Cup team, also did not make the roster although Lanete will still join the trip as a reserve.

Returning for anther tour of duty are Gabe Norwood, Larry Fonacier, Ranidel de Ocampo, Jeff Chan, Jay-R Reyes, Enrico Villanueva, Gary David, naturalized player Marcus Douthit, Matt Rosser, Sonny Thoss and Tenorio.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @richava

Source: Spin.ph