'Tiny Tenorio' on Jones Cup championship: We don't know how we did it

Filipino basketball player L.A. Tenorio, named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the recently concluded William Jones Cup, still cannot explain how the Philippine basketball team won the championship game against the United States team on Sunday. In an interview with host Jessica Soho over "State of the Nation" (SONA), Tenorio said “Ang hirap i-explain kung papaano, hanggang ngayon hindi namin alam kung papaano namin sila natalo.” Tenorio was voted as the MVP of the tournament after scoring 20 points, including 11 points in the fourth quarter, contributing to their 76-75 win.  

In a fourth quarter nail-biter game, L.A. Tenorio rallied the Gilas Pilipinas national team to a historic win against the US team to capture the William Jones Cup title on Sunday in Taipei, Taiwan. Consisting of teams mostly from the Asian region and America, the William Jones Cup is held every year in Taipei, Taiwan.

 

The Philippines last won the title 14 years ago with the Centennial Team composed of basketball legends like Alvin Patrimonio and Allan Caidic.

 

Intimidated by height

Tenorio told Soho that their team was intimidated by the towering players of the US team.  

“So parang during the game lang medyo naintimidate kami sobrang lalaki talaga pero we stayed in the game, we kept on fighting until in the end and luckily yun nakuha namin yung panalo,” Tenorio said.

 

Soho noted that the tallest player of the US team had a height of seven feet. Tenorio, on the other hand, was the shortest player in the championship match, standing at 5’8.

 

Asked how they won, Tenorio said, "Puso lang, puso lang po talaga ang pinairal namin as a team and siyempre ako po personally dasal lang ako nang dasal during the game." "Bahala na po ang Panginoon kung ibibigay sa amin yung larong yon. Binigay po sa amin kaya malaki po ang pasasalamat naming,” he said.

 

During the dying seconds of the game, Tenorio scored a much needed jump shot which was considered as the game winner.

 

“Actually after noon may free throw pa yung isang teammate ko na si Jeffrey Chan. So yun yung nagpalamang,” he explained.

 

Soho noted that point guards like Tenorio are in general, expected to excel in assists and in setting up the plays.

 

 “May mga opportunity rin po or chance na ang point guard din ay pwede magscore lalo na pag wala ng ibang option. Kung baga last option po talaga ang mga point guard,” Tenorio said.

 

He also mentioned that their team went through a lot even before the competition.

 

“Sobra po yung paghihirap na ginawa namin doon. Actually 8 games po yun tapos 6 straight games kami. Practice sa umaga tapos maglalaro sa hapon tapos practice ulit sa umaga, laro ulit sa hapon. Ganun po yung buhay namin so talagang nakakapagod,” he said.

 

Although the game offered no cash prize, Tenorio said their team received something much better.

 

“Wala po, medal lang po talaga. Medal lang po talaga, gold medal – priceless,” he said.

 

What next for team Pilipinas?

 

“Next month we’ll be in Tokyo, Japan for the Stankovic cup FIBA,” Tenorio said.

 

"Hopefully maging mataas din ang standing ng Philippines doon kasi importante din yun,” he added.

 

He then expressed his gratitude towards the Philippine team supporters.

 

“Sa lahat po ng mga Pilipino na nagdasal at sumuporta sa team Pilipinas, sa Gilas, maraming maraming maraming salamat po,” he said. Tweets from fans   On the social networking site Twitter, fans of the Philippine team congratulated the Smart Gilas PHL National team, led by Tenorio, when they won the gold after more than a decade of drought.   BJ Canafranca: “I wanna see how L.A. Tenorio made the winning shot for the Smart Gilas and the whole Philippines!”   jahm jyvi ruiz: “Congratulations SMART GILAS!to coach chot reyes & star player LA Tenorio..nd rest of d team.! yehey!:D”   HenrickJamesPestano: “#JonesCup LA Tenorio! Youre the beast!! hahaha Congrats Philippines Smart Gilas! - VVP, GMA News