The PBA's Iron Man is on the shelf for now.
Bad news for Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings fans: LA Tenorio is likely to miss the rest of the 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup.
Ginebra coach Tim Cone broke the news to the press after Ginebra outlasted the Meralco Bolts, 112-107, on Wednesday night.
“We heard from the trainers approximately four to six weeks,” said Cone of Tenorio’s possible recovery timeline. “So, he’ll probably be out for the rest of the conference. He’s gonna undergo surgery.”
Tinyente was not at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday night to rest an aggravated sports hernia, an injury he sustained in Game 5 of the Commissioner’s Cup Finals. Tenorio missing Ginebra’s game against Meralco means his Iron Man streak is over at 744 games. It is also the first ever game Tenorio has missed in his illustrious 17-year career, which has also been marked by several stints with the national team.
“That was devastating to LA [the Iron Man streak ending], but all good things come to an end,” said Cone. “He’s one of those guys that not only doesn’t miss games, he doesn’t miss practices. He hasn’t missed a practice his whole career, and it’s amazing he’s been able to get this far.”
Tenorio’s absence also means Ginebra will be two key players short for the next two to three weeks at least, with Japeth Aguilar expected to miss a couple more weeks of action due to his MCL sprain. And that is why the Gin Kings will likely need to dig a lot deeper in their next few games, as they did against the Bolts, if they are to give themselves a good shot at defending their Governors’ Cup crown.
For the time being, Cone and the rest of the Gin Kings will wait out Tenorio’s return—something that Cone believes is inevitable.
“It’s an end of an era. But it’s not the end for LA,” Cone said. “He’s gonna come back and play, and we’re looking forward to keeping his spot warm. I’m sure he’s just gonna start another streak.”