Tenorio needs time to heal before shifting focus to Gilas mission

Tenorio needs time to heal before shifting focus to Gilas mission


LA Tenorio has put off surgery on an elbow injury, but will take time off before joining Gilas Pilipinas in the final stretch of its buildup for the Fiba-Asia Men's Basketball Championship in August. Jerome Ascano



BURNED out from playing, LA Tenorio said there will be no basketball for him for at least a week.

The Best Player of the Conference awardee in the recently-concluded PBA Commissioner’s Cup logged 37.35 minutes a game in the mid-season tournament – the most playing time he had in his seven-year career – while playing with a hurting right elbow.

While he doesn’t want to make it as an excuse for Ginebra’s three-game sweep at the hands of newly-crowned champion Alaska, Tenorio admitted he was a spent force during the Finals.

“One factor na din talaga `yung fatigue,” Tenorio said a day after the Kings saw a disappointing end to what had been a remarkable run at the title following a 104-80 rout at the hands of the Aces in Game Three of the best-of-five series.

The 5-foot-8 Tenorio said the week-long rest will give his body and hurting elbow the time to recuperate from the constant banging and physical plays which he endured this season before joining Gilas Pilipinas in its buildup for the Fiba-Asia Men's Championship in Manila in August.

“I just need time to heal. Di ko na kasi nai-pahinga,” he added.

But the former Ateneo star said he has no plans of undergoing surgery anymore for his right elbow, even though it has bothered him time and again since he was still playing for Alaska.

“Kung option man ang surgery, di na rin kasi di natin alam ano ang mangyayari after the operation. Kailangan lang nito ng pahinga,” explained the 28-year-old Tenorio, the MVP in last year’s edition of the William Jones Cup basketball tournament.

But by June, Tenorio said he might have to play extended minutes once again since fellow Gilas Pilipinas pool members Jimmy Alapag and Ryan Reyes are still both out due to separate injuries.

Alapag hurt his calf during a practice of Gilas Pilipinas for the PBA All-Star game in Digos City, while Reyes played through a hamstring injury in Talk ‘N Text’s semifinals series against Ginebra, which the Tropang Texters lost in a deciding Game Five.

Tenorio said he might already showed up in the practice of Gilas Pilipinas on Tuesday but will still not join the Nationals in their scrimmages.

Source: Spin.ph