Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

Basketball

Frustrated LA Tenorio surrenders: ‘The top four is not in our control’


In just a snap, it went away

After a league-best seven-game winning streak, the formidable Barangay Ginebra San Miguel were heavily projected to secure one of the Top Four spots in the 2017 Governor’s Cup playoffs, which includes a coveted twice-to-beat advantage.

But an unfortunate, soul-crushing 92-121 loss to the TNT Katropa on Saturday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum made things bleak for them.

The Barangay now sport an 8-3 card in the standings. But what made their chances of securing the playoff incentive more uncertain is that all their losses have come from potential Top 4 teams — TNT, the Meralco Bolts, and the San Miguel Beermen.

Their only chance of staying in the Top Four is if the Star Hotshots (6-4) will be able to win versus the NLEX Road Warriors (7-3) on Sunday, September 24. But if that doesn’t happen, the Gin Kings might even slide down to as deep as the fifth spot.

And if they do slide to number five, the twice-to-beat edge, sadly, will slip away from their hands.

“Now the top four is not in our control,” lamented main point guard LA Tenorio, who is averaging 15.8 points and 4.4 assists this conference, of their status.

“Sayang. Yun nga yung sinasabi ni coach Tim [Cone], na parang pinahirapan pa namin yung chances namin.”

The conference playoffs will commence early next week. The Barangay’s past few games did not help them build any rhythn, since they have lost two of their last three assignments.

And with that, the 33-year-old hopes that the Gin Kings can regain their form in time for the quarterfinals.

#ReadMore  Allein Maliksi's heroics help Blackwater disarm Meralco's twice-to-beat edge

“The playoffs will start next week and we really have to find ways and we have to get back to basics and find ways na maibalik yung laro namin as a team,” said the two-time champion.

“We cannot play like this in the playoffs.”

Written By

Oftentimes on the sidelines. Forever a student of the game. Morayta-bred.


You May Also Like

Basketball

Ginebra head coach Tim Cone left the SMART Araneta Coliseum utterly disappointed — and puzzled — after losing to Meralco on Friday night. It...

Basketball

Meralco turned what was thought to be a dogfight to a lopsided mauling as it whipped Ginebra, 91-73, to arrest its two-game slide in...

News

Choco Mucho head coach and long-time Ginebra fan Dante Alinsunurin cherished the opportunity to meet Justin Brownlee moments after his team’s straight-set win over...

Basketball

Japeth Aguilar has taken a significant step in preparing for life after basketball. On Sunday night, the 37-year-old Ginebra big man launched his newest...

Basketball

Ralph Cu has had a memorable year so far. To kick off the year, Tim Cone, his head coach in Ginebra, made him part...

Basketball

Jamie Malonzo’s redemption tour continued on Sunday. Malonzo once again led Ginebra San Miguel, leading their 102-92 rout of Phoenix to remain unblemished in...

Basketball

All seemed fine for Scottie Thompson during the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers. In the two games played, the do-it-all...

Basketball

Jamie Malonzo was a nervous wreck after Ginebra San Miguel’s 113-107 triumph over Rain or Shine on Friday evening. Malonzo had just played like...

Advertisement