When he learned that he would be part of Gilas Pilipinas’ pool for the Southeast Asian Games, LA Tenorio was excited.
Besides the call-up to serve flag and country once more — which he last did in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers’ fifth window last year — the veteran floor general was also eager to reunite with his good pal Jayson Castro.
Tenorio and Castro have shared many battles while proudly carrying the Philippine flag. They were together in FIBA World Cup in 2014, where they helped the country notch its first win in the global tilt in four decades.
“Actually nag-uusap nga kami na we’re excited,” said Tenorio, who led Gilas to the gold medal in the 2012 Jones Cup.
Unfortunately, though, that excitement has come crashing down. On Saturday, Castro was diagnosed with a soleus muscle strain after getting hurt during the TNT KaTropa’s 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup clash versus the NLEX Road Warriors on Friday night.
That injury will keep the two-time Best Point Guard in Asia out for five to six weeks, so he will miss the regional biennial meet. The reunion that Tenorio was looking forward to will no longer happen.
“Sayang. Sayang,” lamented the 33-year-old. “This is our first time to play in the Southeast Asian Games, so we were really looking forward to playing together again. Me myself, I was very excited na makakasama ko siya.
“Pero talagang hindi natin hawak talaga eh. Ganun talaga ang buhay ng isang basketball player.”
Tenorio shared that Castro’s absence is a huge loss to Gilas, which is gunning for the country’s 18th SEAG gold medal. Head coach Tim Cone has repeatedly said that Castro has been one of the respected players in the team full of alphas.
“It’s a big blow for us. Alam naman natin ang capabilities ni Jayson, especially sa international competition. I think he’s the barometer of the team, of each and every player here sa national team, so malaking kawalan siya,” he said.
“But again, we have to move forward. We have to step up. Each and every one of us, we have to step up.”
Still, the Barangay Ginebra star guard is hoping that there will be a chance for him and Castro to reunite.
“Hopefully after this, kung meron pang opportunity na makapagsama kami, why not?”
