Barangay Ginebra has won its last 2 games this past week and part of that has to do with top playmaker LA Tenorio, who has complemented do-it-all Justin Brownlee early in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup campaign.
True, Brownlee was the catalyst in Ginebra’s back-to-back wins over GlobalPort and bitter rival Star, but in both games, Tenorio also stood tall, supplying the offense and bringing in his usual steady leadership for the crowd favorites.
No wonder, the 32-year-old Tenorio’s heads-up play earned him the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week, beating a host of candidates led by Kings teammate Sol Mercado, TNT’s Jayson Castro, Troy Rosario and Ranidel de Ocampo, San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo, Meralco guard Baser Amer and Blackwater’s Mike DiGregorio.
Against the Batang Pier, Tenorio came up with an all-around effort of 15 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals as Ginebra completed its comeback from a 19-point deficit by posting a runaway 113-96 win last Wednesday.
The former Ateneo standout, then reprised his role as Brownlee’s chief backup, firing a personal conference-best 21 points, including 8 in the final canto as Ginebra reasserted its mastery over Star, 113-98 during the PBA’s 42nd anniversary on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Tenorio is averaging a career-best 16.33 points, to go along with 3.67 rebounds and 3.33 assists in the Kings’ first 3 games this conference.