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| LA Tenorio met with SBP executive director Erika Dy and former Gilas team manager Alfrancis Chua to discuss his new role as Gilas youth team head coach. SBP |
MANILA--LA Tenorio's future in coaching is now secured.
The Ginebra guard was named the new head coach of Gilas Pilipinas' youth teams, announced Tuesday night by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
Once under the tutelage of youth basketball coaching legends Ato Badolato and Joe Lipa, it's now Tenorio's turn to show what he can do as a coach as he will take over the chores left behind by Josh Reyes.
“The SBP is excited to have a true sportsman and role model in LA Tenorio as our Gilas Pilipinas Youth head coach,” said SBP president Al Panlilio.
“There’s a lot of pressure in the role because I’ll have big shoes to fill,” Tenorio added.
“What coach Josh Reyes accomplished by making it to two World Cups is not an easy feat but I’m excited to work with our young players and help them reach their full potential. I already talked to coach Tim [Cone] and I’ll be running a similar system so our youth players can easily transition to the men’s team.”
Panlilio added that Tenorio did not hesitate to say yes to the coaching offer, all the more that he has already worked hand in hand with coaches Norman Black, his former mentor with the Ateneo Blue Eagles, and Cone, his current gaffer with the Gin Kings.
“He has great relationships with coach Norman Black who heads our grassroots program and coach Tim Cone of the elite level and he’ll serve as the bridge between the two. When we first talked to LA about the idea, he was open to the challenge immediately and he even had a short list of coaches that he wanted to work with. He’s a natural leader and a winner on and off the court. He will teach our young athletes lessons they will use not only in basketball but in life as well,” Panlilio further said.
Tenorio first wowed Filipino basketball fans during one SBP Passerelle game in 1996 when he was still studying grade school at Don Bosco Makati, opening the doors for him to have a stellar high school career first at Adamson and then later at San Beda.
He returned to the UAAP in college, joining Ateneo, where he helped the team end a 14-year league title drought in 2002.
While still playing for Ginebra, Tenorio joined coach Bonnie Tan's coaching staff at Letran during the late 2010s and the COVID-19 pandemic marred early 2020s, helping the team win three NCAA titles.
Tenorio joined Cone's coaching staff at Gilas last year, winning the Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games golds.
According to SBP executive director Erika Dy, Cone wanted his triangle offense-oriented system to be instilled already among youngsters, thus, appointing Tenorio.
"Coach Tim is big on continuity and that has been the reason why we've had a small pool for Gilas ever since he took over," said Dy.
“Appointing Coach LA as head of our age group teams at the youth level strengthens that process. The goal is to complete the player journey from our grassroots to the elite level, and having a Youth coach who knows the system of coach Tim by heart will be beneficial for everyone involved.”
Cone bared that Tenorio will be on the Gilas bench for the November window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
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