LA TENORIO is bent on playing while his injured elbow continues to hold up. If his game results in a win for Alaska, so much the better.
That is why Tenorio’s jubilation was extra double after being named the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for boosting the Aces to a much-needed victory in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Tenorio highlighted a 23-point, four-assist performance with seven points inside the last 18 seconds that guided Alaska over Barangay Ginebra, 76-74, at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena last Saturday.
The playmaker completed a rare four-point play to give the Aces a 73-72 lead before booming in the game-winning triple with only two seconds left.
In all, Tenorio wound up shooting 9-for-18 from the field and added two rebounds, a steal, a block and only one turnover in 33 minutes of action, enabling him to beat out teammate Cyrus Baguio for the scribes’ citation.
Not bad for someone who is suffering from tendinitis in his right elbow.
“Ang sabi ng doctor, kailangang i-surgery,” related Tenorio. “Pero that would mean tatlong buwan akong di makakalaro. Ang sabi ko, saka na lang.”
For now, wrapping the elbow in ice during and after the game and taking some painkillers would have to do. But not for long.
“Darating ang punto na buto sa buto na ang mag-kikiskisan,” he stated. “Pero hanggang kaya kong ilaro, ilalaro ko.”
It was the second straight win in three starts for the Aces, further stoking their drive to atone for a 0-5 (win-loss) start and a ninth place finish in the season-opening Philippine Cup. /pba media bureau