Scottie Thompson
For over a decade, LA Tenorio has been Barangay Ginebra’s regular hand, his steely nerves, crafty playmaking and leadership helping the Gin Kings to almost half of the favored franchise’s 15 PBA crowns.
Tenorio has since taken a unique role. Nowadays, he mostly watches from the sidelines, relaying coach Tim Cone’s instructions to his younger teammates which include Scottie Thompson, his former understudy who has since blossomed into certainly one of the league’s finest guards.
The gang darlings at the moment are on the doorstep of one other PBA championship, and in a candid chat with the Inquirer, Tenorio recalled how he once playfully told Thompson that it’s now his turn to return the favor.
READ: Scottie Thompson leads Ginebra to first win streak of PBA Finals
“I jokingly said I’ve been giving him championships. It’s about time he gave me some,” the league’s Iron Man said with a hearty laugh.
Thompson, who has consistently produced for Barangay Ginebra within the championship duel against old tormentor TNT, can repay Tenorio this Wednesday in what is predicted to be a nerve-wracking Game 6 of the Commissioner’s Cup Finals at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Game time is at 7:30 p.m. with Thompson taking a razor-sharp focus into his squad’s first two tries at clinching the midseason crown.
“We just should deal with one game. No past, no future,” he said. “Let’s see what we are able to do in the subsequent game. But rest assured we’ll give our greatest.”
Not to place pressure on the shoulders of his successor, however the veteran court general made the reassurance that Thompson would give you the chance to satisfy the moment.
“He’ll be there,” Tenorio said matter-of-factly. “Scottie is Scottie. He was a [Most Valuable Player]. It doesn’t matter if he struggles offensively. He does lots for the team—from hustling to defending.”
Thompson had 16 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block within the previous contest, his all-around play backstopping the heroics of resident import Justin Brownlee, who has been playing gallantly through a janky right thumb for 2 games.
Staying alive
“He is probably not the sort of leader that I’m. He has a unique sort of leadership. His hustle, his determination, his grit? He carries the team with those,” Tenorio added of Thompson.
Still, one could be remiss to count out the Tropang Giga, who’re fighting to remain alive. They’ve, in spite of everything, conquered the Gin Kings twice on this stage.
TNT ace and the tournament’s Best Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has vowed to bring the warmth.
“How do I see it? Us fighting like hell,” he said with a smirk. “Fighting to win, fighting to play a wonderful game. Fighting to present maximum effort.”
“All 48 minutes, whether we go up or not, we just [have to stay] locked in. Chot (Reyes) said it, it’s about our mentality going into the crucial moments: Turnovers, improper reads on a defensive play, allowing someone to reject the screen, me gambling on something I shouldn’t … me missing easy shots within the paint. That’s focus.” INQ
