LA Tenorio is bracing for nothing less than a harsh retaliation after Magnolia pushed the twice-to-beat Meralco to a sudden death in their PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinal duel on Wednesday night.
And there’s definitely no one else in the entire Hotshots organization that should be issuing that stern of a warning other than the former star guard himself, having figured in countless battles versus the Bolts during his playing career.
“I know them really well, that they’re gonna come back really strong, they’re gonna come back with a lot of energy, they’re gonna adjust,” he said after their 95-89 win witnessed by a good crowd at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
It was actually the Hotshots’ second victory in a row versus Meralco, having beaten them in the penultimate game of the elimination round just last Sunday–a 93-76 result at the nearby SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
That win was also their third in a row to finish the preliminaries on a roll, and then went on to repeat as the luck of the draw set them up for a meeting in the playoffs’ opening round in a battle between the fourth and fifth seeds.
Photo by PBA Images
But definitely, momentum is on their side, and Tenorio’s men showed that Sunday’s triumph was no fluke by taking their series opener.
Yet there’s little to no celebration on the part of the 41-year-old, for he’s very much aware of the Bolts’ capabilities, especially with their backs on the wall.
It’s well known how much he had helped beat the MVP franchise during his time with Barangay Ginebra, particularly in the Finals, although there were also instances where he and the Kings fell in the new-age rivalry.
The 2024 Philippine Cup serves as an example.
The crowd darlings took a 3–2 lead in their best-of-seven semifinal series, but Meralco went on to win Games 6 and 7 to reach the Finals and eventually capture its first PBA championship.
“We’re playing a great team, a very well-coached team, a very systematic team. I should know, because I always play against this team in the playoffs. I know how they play in the playoffs, with the vets that they have right now,” he said.
That’s why the next 24 hours will all be about getting his charges as prepared as possible for whatever Meralco’s response would be for Saturday’s do-or-die.
“Despite our win, we had a lot of lapses. We still had 17 turnovers that we cannot afford to give Meralco,” he said as they also squandered a lead as big as 19 points before Clint Chapman and the young locals saved the day.
“But again, just like what I’ve said in the last game, I know my players, I trust them, and I believe in them, and I know that they’re gonna be ready again. We’ll take this win, but no time to celebrate, just focus on the next game right away.”
