LA Tenorio on Asian Games: ‘We’re targeting gold’

MANILA, Philippines – After exceeding expectations and putting up a valiant stand on the world stage, the Philippine men’s basketball team will be taking on Asia’s best when they compete in the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea later this month.

LA Tenorio, Gilas’ diminutive playmaker, believes Gilas Pilipinas, in all its might anchored on a nation’s unlikely love for basketball, will be a tough contender for the Asiad gold medal.

“We’re targeting gold (in the Asian Games),” Tenorio declared. “Kaya naman talaga kahit all-Filipino kami. Katulad ng ginawa namin sa World Cup kahit may naturalized player (pero) kami feeling namin hindi talaga namin kaya eh. Pero lumaban lang kami talaga. Yun lang kailangan namin, lumaban.” 

(We really can do it all-Filipino. Just like in the World Cup, even if we had a naturalized player we still felt we couldn’t go far. But we simply fought hard. That’s all we need to do, to fight.) 

The country’s basketball federation (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) was unsuccessful in its last-ditch appeal to let naturalized center Andray Blatche suit up for the Asiad. But fellow naturalized big man Marcus Douthit, 34, will be inserted into the lineup as replacement. (RELATED: Marcus Douthit will always remain a Filipino)

Just got final word from Incheon that Blatche is out. What a shame. Gotta get @DouthitMarcus in game shape, pronto! #LabanPilipinasPuso

— Chot Reyes (@coachot) September 11, 2014

Gilas was in danger of competing all-Filipino after Blatche was barred from playing and there was doubt that Douthit might also not be able to play since he was not part of the original 12-man lineup submitted. The Philippines’ appeal to insert him as replacement, together with captain Jimmy Alapag, was granted. 

Even if Gilas had to go all-Filipino, Tenorio remained confident they could vie for the gold.

In the one week Gilas used to re-introduce Philippine basketball to the world, there was a collective change in mindset and a reinvigorated affirmation of the belief the Philippines can compete on a global level. This was largely due to the unexpected performance they put on right from opening day against Croatia, where they narrowly lost in overtime.

“Against Croatia doon nag-start na nakita namin na we can compete pala. Kasi we’re targeting lang to keep the game close. Pero doon namin na-realize na we can compete with the best of the best,” explained Tenorio, who played an average of 18 minutes in all of Gilas’ 5 FIBA World Cup games and normed 6.2 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists a contest. 

(Against Croatia we started to see that we can compete after all. We were just targeting to keep the game close. But with that game we realized we can compete with the best of the best.) 

That game, followed by a string of very close losses that could have gone either way, boosted the national team’s confidence immensely. (RELATED: LA Tenorio: We needed more experience)

Local bigs need to step up 

With Douthit not yet in game shape, having last played for Gilas during last year’s FIBA Asia Championships, the local big men must step up and fill in the gaps. 

The 6-foot-10 June Mar Fajardo, who had an impressive showing in the World Cup, will likely play a major role in the Asian Games. The 2014 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) MVP played in all 5 games and wound up with 6.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in Spain. This is a significant leap forward from his 0.4 points and 1.3 rebounds per game during the 2013 FIBA Asia Championships where he was sparingly used. 

Fajardo showed his improvement in Gilas’ lone World Cup victory over Senegal where he played for 32 minutes and dropped a near double-double of 15 points and 9 rebounds.

He was so efficient that Gilas almost always scored points when he was on the floor. This he did despite limited playing time as a reliever for Blatche. 

But coming off the bench and relieving the main guy for a few minutes is entirely different from taking on a more prominent role. Is Fajardo ready for more? 

“Oo naman (Yes of course),” was Tenorio’s quick answer.

“Yung experience na nakuha niya sa World Cup medyo talagang nakakatakot na eh. Not only sa Asia but dito rin sa PBA. Nakakatakot na,” Tenorio commended the 24-year old Fajardo. (The experience he got from the World Cup is quite scary already. Not only for Asia but also here in the PBA. It’s quite scary.)

“He’s our Mr. Quality Minutes. I think he’s our most efficient player in the World Cup so malaking bagay yung ginawa niya (he was a big help for us). I think if ever we won’t have a naturalized player, I think June Mar will be the one to step up.”

Tenorio was able to witness Fajardo’s transformation since the 2013 Asia Championships and his rise to the MVP plum during the PBA season right before they plunged into World Cup preparations. 

Asked what changed in Fajardo over the past year that led to his gutsy stand against the world’s best, Tenorio explained it was a complete turnaround in the young center’s attitude. 

“His confidence level sa paglalaro and sa labas or outside basketball (tumaas). Nag-mature siya ng maaga,” he said. “Siguro malaking bagay talaga yung nanalo siya ng MVP. Malaking boost of confidence.” (His confidence level on and off the court soared. He matured right away. It was probably also huge that he won the MVP. It was a huge boost in his confidence.)

Fajardo won’t be alone. He will have the 6-foot-9 Japeth Aguilar as well to share the responsibility of relieving Douthit. 

According to Tenorio, the Gilas coaching staff put plenty of focus on Fajardo and Aguilar during training camp because they are expected to deliver when their numbers get called up.

“Silang dalawa ni June Mar and Japeth ang pinagtuunan ng pansin,” Tenorio shared. “Talagang dinikdik talaga sila ni coach to do their best every time kahit practice lang, talagang pinu-push sila.”

(Both June Mar and Japeth were given much attention. Coach really pressed them to do their best every time even if it was just practice, he really pushed them.) 

‘We need to play perfect basketball’ 

Because injuries are plaguing the team and time is not on their side as far as preparations are concerned, Tenorio says there is very little room for error, and perfection is what they must strive for in the Asian Games. 

“I think we have to set our minds that we cannot commit mistakes every game,” Tenorio said. “There’s no such thing but we need to play as close to perfect basketball.”

At this point, though Douthit has been practicing with the team throughout the World Cup, Gilas will have to adjust again to playing with him instead of Blatche. 

Additionally, Gilas will have to recalibrate its thinking that they’ll have as much support as they did in Seville. The nationals played in the World Cup as if they were back home in Manila with many Filipinos packing the arena. They also defeated South Korea for the first time in many years at home in last year’s FIBA Asia.  

At the Asian Games, they probably won’t have the luxury of a roaring 6th man. But Tenorio remains positive, and it’s not as if they haven’t played inside a quiet arena or one where the crowd is completely against them.

“Well, hindi naman natin alam kasi kahit saan sulok ng mundo may mga Pilipino talaga,” he said.

“And Korea alam naman natin babawi yan sa atin. Nakita naman nila how we beat them dito sa home natin. We really have to be ready. The good thing about this is aside from Seville, marami kami napuntahan na lugar na wala kami masyadong fans.” 

(Well, we can’t really say because there are Filipinos everywhere in the world. And we know Korea will want to bounce back. They saw how we beat them at home. The good thing about this is aside from Seville, we played at many different places where we didn’t have plenty of fans.) – Rappler.com