PBA: LA Tenorio's belief in miracles — in sport or in life — on full display in Game 6 heroics

With his Barangay Ginebra team’s season on the line, it wasn’t enough for LA Tenorio to believe in miracles.

Instead he showed everyone what miracles are about.

The veteran guard provided the unlikely spark, including the game-winning miracle three-pointer that enabled Ginebra to pull off an 88-87 Game 6 win and drag San Miguel to a sudden death Game 7 on Wednesday.

"Miracles do happen, not only in this game but in my personal life. I truly believe in that," Tenorio said.

The 40-year-old Tenorio, who had battled stage 3 colon cancer in the past, turned back the clock and buried the triple over Jericho Cruz in the last two seconds to give the Gin Kings a one-point cushion after trailing for most of the game.

That proved to be the difference as CJ Perez couldn't convert on a desperate heave from the four-point line.

"Every time I step on the court, I try to make something happen because as the leader of the team, I really need to be on point in everything I do. For this game, I was really ready not to go home and have a long vacation."

But for head coach Tim Cone, Tenorio's game heroics went far beyond that triple.

With Tenorio playing less than two minutes in the first three quarters, coach Tim Cone made a gutsy call in the fourth, turning to his veteran guard just as the Beermen looked poised to seal the win.

Subbing in for RJ Abarrientos in the 8:34 mark of the fourth quarter, Tenorio immediately made an impact by knocking down a triple before nailing a jumper that cut the deficit to six, 82-76. 

He hit another triple, this time tying the game at 83-all with just about four minutes left on the clock. Perez would score a layup and June Mar Fajardo split his freebies, giving San Miguel the lead back at 87-85 in the last 10 seconds. 

The game-winning play then saw Tenorio issuing the inbound pass to Scottie Thompson, who would waste some time against Perez before dishing back to Tenorio for the win. 

"Honestly, I felt like a rookie again, shaking while going sa scorer’s table," Tenorio revealed.  

"Nando’n na ako sa point ng career ko na I just have to be ready kung ano ‘yung bibigay sa akin na playing time, it doesn't matter if I play or not. Basta I just have to be ready."

[I’m at that point in my career that I just have to be ready for whatever playing time is given to me, it doesn’t matter if I play or not. I just have to be ready regardless.]

Cone, for his part, said Tenorio's presence alone was already infectious to his teammates as they now look to finish off the Beermen and set a finals date with TNT.

"We turned to our veteran, our leader, and he made the big plays down the stretch. It’s something we haven’t been able to do in this series but LA’s presence there just allowed us to make big plays," Cone said.

Cone quipped: "What can I say, miracles do happen. He’s made shots like that throughout his whole career and I’ve been the beneficiary of those shots. He’s put my kids through college doing those kinds of things."

—JMB, GMA Integrated News