LA Tenorio, Yukien Andrada relish Magnolia debuts as playing coach, rookie

Two former Bedans made their debuts on Sunday in the PBA Philippine Cup—but at very different points in their basketball lives.

San Beda high school product and Magnolia coach LA Tenorio made his debut as a Magnolia player in lieu of injured guards Paul Lee and Jerom Lastimosa.

It was a rare feat, as Tenorio joined the likes of Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Allan Caidic, Norman Black, and Bobby Parks on the list of PBA players who have taken on the dual role of player and coach.

“We planned like that para ma-feel ko agad ang game, ‘yun ang na-feel namin na puwede gawin,” Tenorio said of starting for Magnolia.

“Merong kaunti (jitters) pero I’ve been doing that naman for my entire career. Even though I am playing, para na rin akong nagko-coach sa ibang players. Siguro ‘yung leadership lang sa loob ng court… para lang magkaroon ng kaunting tulong,” he added.

With another career milestone unlocked, Tenorio said he is thankful for the opportunity to both play and coach—a challenging but manageable task.

“It’s an opportunity, it’s a blessing for me to coach and play. It boils down to the trust of management and the team sa akin. They know I can still lead the team so they gave me the opportunity,” he said.

“Mahirap sa simula kasi kailangan mo magturo, at the same time, you have to be on the floor. Maraming kailangan isipin. Mahirap, but it’s doable. Kaya naman. With the help of my coaching staff, I trust them they’re gonna make good decisions for me.

“If I’m playing on the court, hindi ako coach, player ako. Sila na bahala sa labas. If I’m on the bench, then I’m a coach.”

Tenorio finished with four points, three assists, and two rebounds in 13 minutes of play as Magnolia bowed to TNT, 94–83.

Meanwhile, Yukien Andrada made his professional debut just days after playing his final game with San Beda University, which won the NCAA Season 101 basketball crown.

In the same venue where the Red Lions defeated rivals Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Andrada showcased his potential, tallying 12 points, nine rebounds, and one assist in his first PBA game.

“I think the confidence talaga naman nabibigay sa akin ng iba kong teammates na, you know, they encouraged me to just... If I'm open, take those shots, and Coach LA [said], too If I'm open, take those shots. So, that's what I did,” Andrada said.

Andrada shared that he joined Magnolia practice only on Saturday, adding that the presence of fellow Bedans Rome dela Rosa and former teammate Peter Alfaro helped him adjust quickly.

The two-time NCAA champion also earned praise from Tenorio himself.

“We will need him for sure. He’s a big key for our team moving forward and I’m looking forward to have him in our team na may mahabang preparation. Malaking bagay siya sa amin.”

—JMB, GMA Integrated News