Player of the Week: LA Tenorio

TO say LA Tenorio is the barometer for the Alaska Aces is not an overstatement,
for no less than coach Tim Cone declares it to be so.
“No doubt, LA is our leader on the floor,” said Cone of his heady playmaker who
led Alaska’s charge in back-to-back wins and into the semifinals of the PBA
Governors Cup, making him the unanimous choice as Accel-PBA Press Corps’ Player
of the Week for the period July 11 to 17.
Tenorio proved this by averaging 18.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in
victories over Rain or Shine and Barangay Ginebra. Those numbers are marked
improvements to his first six games in the season-ending tourney, when he was
norming 11 points and 4.3 rebounds.
The 27-year-old simply explains the improvements to his game by saying new
acquisitions Jayr Reyes, Wesley Gonzales, Hans Thiele and Aris Dimaunahan have
fully incorporated themselves into the system.

“I think our team is starting to understand the system. In the first few games
inconsistent kami kasi nangangapa pa kami sa isa’t-isa. Now medyo nakukuha na
namin ang rhythm namin at hopefully tuloy-tuloy na,” said Tenorio.
The fact the right elbow injury that bothered him even before the tourney
started also helped.
“That affected my game din siguro. Malaking factor ‘yung nag-re-recover na
injury ko,” he stated.
That was first evidenced in the week before, when he notched 20 rebounds, six
rebounds and six assists in a win over Powerade, but fully unveiled in the match
against Rain or Shine last Wednesday.

Tenorio highlighted a 22-point, eight-rebound performance with two clutch
triples in the last 63 seconds of the third period that broke Alaska away from a
four-point game and into a cruising 88-83 triumph.
Import Jason Forte notched his first 20-20 game with 24 points and 20 rebounds
in a tighter 83-79 victory against Ginebra last Saturday but Tenorio was not too
far behind, his 15 points being the lone double-digit output by a local Ace.
Those victories gave the Aces a 5-3 win-loss record they will carry over into
the six-team, single round semis, where Cone expects Tenorio to continue
sparking his teammates to greater heights.
“He won’t be intimidated by anybody or any situation and that attitude rubs off
on his teammates, which, in turn, makes us strong mentally. His presence gives
us a chance to be an elite team in the PBA,” stated Cone.(pr)

All-star cast named

THREE Alaska players and three more from San Miguel, including rookie
big man Rabeh Al-Hussaini, were named to the final rosters of both
North and South All-Star teams which will pit skills in the 2011 PBA
All-Star Game in Boracay a month from now.

The three Aces voted as reserves by the PBA head coaches are big men
Joe Devance and Sonny Thoss and playmaker L.A. Tenorio , while
Al-Hussaini is joined by fellow Beermen Arwind Santos and Alex
Cabagnot.

Al-Hussaini, the year’s No. 2 overall pick and the only freshman to
make it to the All-Star line up, will suit up for the North squad of
San Miguel mentor Ato Agustin along with Santos, Cabagnot and Tenorio.

Devance and Thoss, on the other hand, represent the ‘Twin Tower’ off
the bench for the South All-Stars under Talk `N Text mentor Chot
Reyes.

Completing the reserves for the North are Talk `N Text’s frontcourt
tandem of Ranidel de Ocampo and Harvey Carey, along with Meralco
hotshot MacMac Cardona.

Perennial All-Star Jimmy Alapag of Talk `N Text, meanwhile, is again
suiting up for the South together with Derby Ace’s Peter June Simon,
Meralco veteran center Asi Taulava and the Air21 pair of Dondon
Hontiveros and Danny Seigle.

Voted by fans as starters for North are Mark Pingris, Kerby Raymundo,
Mark Caguioa, Willie Miller and last year’s All-Star MVP Gabe Norwood.

James Yap, Jay Washington, Kelly Williams, Eric Menk and Cyrus Baguio
make up the starting unit for South.

The pro league is holding the annual, mid-season spectacle on the
island of Boracay for the first time, in partnership with Cre8 Events
Asia under president Carlo Quevada.

This developed as the league also announced the lineup for the Rookies
versus Sophomores Blitz Game, and the participants in the slam dunk,
three-point shootout and obstacle challenge side events.

No. 1 overall rookie pick Noy Baclao banners the freshmen selection,
where he is joined by Rey Guevarra, Elmer Espiritu, Rob Labagala, Hans
Thiele, Josh Vanlandingham, Shawn Weinstein and John Wilson.

Josh Urbiztondo and Chris Ross will be at the helm of the sophomore
team and will have for teammates Francis Allera, Marcy Arellano, Jervy
Cruz, Gerwin Gaco, Emerson Oreta.
Third year pro Larry Rodriguez has been named to augment the
Sophomores team replacing the injured Rico Maierhofer.
KG Canaleta won’t be around for a shot at a fifth PBA slam dunk title,
and out to displace him from his throne are some of the league’s
certified high-flyers in Norwood, JC Intal, Ronald Tubid, Washington,
Espiritu, a former PBL ‘slam’ titleholder, Guevarra, and former
champion Williams.

Mark Macapagal goes for a back-to-back three-point shootout titles as
he defends his crown against deadly gunners Alapag, Cardona, Devance,
Hontiveros, Tubid, Ronjay Buenafe, Sunday Salvacion and James Yap.

Jonas Villanueva also tries to do the same in the Obstacle Challenge
where he will be tested to the hilt by Alapag, Buenafe, Cabagnot,
Miller, Ross, Tenorio, Urbiztondo and Gary David.

Four-time league MVP Alvin Patrimonio will team up with Agustin and
Allan Caidic to challenge the top three finishers of the 3-point
shootout in the equally interesting Legends Shootout that will serve
as appetizer to the All-Star Game on All-Star Sunday. PR

Davao's Simon, Tenorio of Alaska are Players of the Week

THRESHING out the great players from mere mortals is easy. All one needs to do
is to spot those who step up big-time, especially when the chips are down.
That is exactly what Alaska’s Lewis Alfred “LA” LA Tenorio and B-MEG Derby Ace’s
Peter June “PJ” Simon just recently did to stoke their respective team’s drive
in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup and earn for themselves the  Accel-PBA Press
Corps’ Co-Players of the Week honors for the period March 21 to 27.
It was the second such award for Tenorio in the conference, having been already
cited for the period Feb. 21- 28, while the honor was Simon‘s second for the
season, coming after his similarly exceptional performance in the Nov. 8 to 14
span of the Philippine Cup, when he posted a two-game average of 29.0 points.
 This time, Simon normed 23.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in leading injury-plagued
Derby Ace past previously unbeaten Smart-Gilas and San Miguel Beer in a pair of
overtime games that stoked their drive to the playoffs.
What makes those numbers special is the fact they came at a time when the
Llamados were sorely missing the services of reigning MVP James Yap (calf
strain), Rico Maierhofer (ACL), Don Allado (foot), Jonas Villanueva (ankle),
Rafi Reavis (hand) and Jondan Salvador (shoulder).
“PJ has been stepping up in the absence of James and he has become our
go-to-guy,” noted Derby Ace coach Jorge Gallent after Simon’s heroics enabled
the team to improve its win-loss record to 4-4.
“I hope he continues to inspire the whole team.”
As stimulating was Tenorio while leading Alaska to a come-from-behind 104-101
win, also in OT, over Meralco last Friday.
With import LD Williams ejected barely four minutes into the game, Tenorio
exploded for a new career-high 33 points in leading the gritty bunch of local
Aces who rose to the occasion.

The heady playmaker made half of his 20 shots, including four triples, and added
eight rebounds, six assists, five steals and two blocked shots in 39 minutes in
a sterling all-around performance rarely seen on local shores.
“LA did everything to bring us back. It’s incredible to watch LA do that kind of
stuff,” said Alaska coach Tim Cone, taking special note of Tenorio’s two triples
highlighting an 11-0 burst in the last three minutes of regulation that brought
the Aces back.
As is his wont, Tenorio refused to hog all the credit.
“After na ma-thrown out ang import namin we as a team decided to play harder and
just continue playing. The most important thing was everyone stepped up, not
only me but everyone in the team,” he stated.
“Siguro I was lucky lang talaga that time na the ball was in my hand during the
crucial part of the game. Basta I played hard lang talaga that game and grabbed
the opportunity to step up.”
The win jacked the Aces’ record to 5-2, tantalizingly close to a top two spot
and an automatic semifinals berth, but surely safe enough to ensure passage into
the next round.PR