New head coach LA Tenorio out to restore Magnolia’s winning tradition

LA Tenorio sees his new role as Magnolia coach as a marathon, not a sprint.

The 41-year-old spent nearly two decades running the show on the hardwood, including the last 13 years with Barangay Ginebra. Now stepping into a new capacity as Magnolia’s head coach, the seasoned guard admits he’s still learning the ropes of his new role, and even getting used to being called 'Coach.'

“‘Di pa rin sanay, pero masasanay rin 'yan paunti-unti. Paunti-unti, I’m getting used to it, getting there, pero there are still a lot of things to work on,” Tenorio said during the PBA Rookie Draft last Sunday.

“Bilog lang talaga ang mundo, maliit lang talaga 'yung mundo ng basketball, so I’m just happy with the opportunity. Ang daming puwedeng maging coach dito, pero there is a purpose kung bakit ako andito,” he added.

Magnolia has earned the tag "Intro boys" in recent years, often falling short in the playoffs despite strong showings in the elimination round.

In the recent Season 49 Philippine Cup, for instance, the Hotshots wrapped up the elimination round with an 8–3 record, good for a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals. However, Magnolia squandered the edge, suffering back-to-back losses to TNT to bow out of the All-Filipino tourney.

Tenorio is fully aware of Magnolia’s struggles but emphasized that they are not rushing the rebuild. Still, he believes his familiarity with the players, and theirs with him, could be the key to turning the team’s fortunes around.

"Hindi ko masasabi 'yan (not being 'Intro boys'), like what I’ve told the players, we just have to work and see what will happen," Tenorio, an eight-time PBA champion, added.

"Isa sa mga natutunan ko, winning is not everything. Nakakuha ka nga ng panalo, pero ‘di mo naman nakuha 'yung pinaka-goal mo, so for me, as a new coach, we just have to be patient and trust the process."

Magnolia, the last franchise to achieve a Grand Slam in 2014, hasn’t lifted a championship in seven years. Its last title came in the 2018 Governors’ Cup, where it defeated Alaska in six games under coach Chito Victolero.

Since then, the closest Magnolia has come to another crown were three runner-up finishes. And while the pressure to restore the team’s lost glory looms large, Tenorio underscored the importance of trusting the process.

“I want to win, but we want to learn and get better from each game, whether we win or lose. We need to take something away from every game we play,” he said.

“Of course, pagka-matagal-tagal na, gusto na naming manalo. Pero this is not a sprint, but a marathon.”

—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Integrated News