Tenorio is back to run show for new coach Ato

New coach Ato Agustin says he didn’t make wholesale changes to Ginebra’s system under his predecessor Al Chua and prefers to see the Kings run and gun in the Governors Cup. Jerome Ascano

NEW coach Ato Agustin wants Barangay Ginebra to run and gun at every opportunity when it begins its campaign in the PBA Governors Cup on Sunday.

Good thing he will immediately have LA Tenorio back to run the show.

Fresh from Gilas Pilipinas' runner-up finish in the Fiba-Asia Championship, LA Tenorio and fellow national Japeth Aguilar are set to rejoin Ginebra's practice on Thursday and will be on the floor in time for the Kings' opening game against Petron Blaze on Sunday.

Agustin said it was the two national players who insisted on rejoining Ginebra's practice on Thursday, just four days after playing major roles in the national team's successful quest for a return to the world championships in Spain next year.

“Yung dalawa namin si Japeth and LA makakalaro na sila sa Sunday saka sasama na sila sa practice on Thursday," Agustin shared to Spin.ph after the team’s 95-98 loss to the Alaska Aces in a tune-up game on Wednesday at the Xavier gym. "Sila rin nagsabi na mage-ensayo na sila agad.”

Agustin will need someone like Tenorio to run the show as he plans to keep Ginebra running and gunning in the season-ending conference, beginning with the game against a Petron team he led to the championship of this tournament two seasons ago.

After moving over to the pro league’s most popular ball club, Agustin said he didn’t make wholesale changes to the team’s system under his predecessor Al Chua, who resigned last month but has since been prevailed to stay on as team manager.

“Not really changes. Parang nag-adopt lang ng konting sistema sa team. Run and gun pa rin. Di naman puwedeng palitan right away (from Chua’s system)” said the 50-year-old Agustin, one of only nine coaches in PBA history to win a title right on his first year as head coach.

"Kung baga, konting adjustment sa akin at naka-adopt naman nila (Gin Kings)."

Agustin, the only second-round draft pick in league history to win an MVP award, said it has always been his dream to coach the popular Ginebra team.

“It’s my dream to coach this Ginebra team. Siyempre, the most popular team,” he said.