Scottie Thompson, meanwhile, could be sidelined for three weeks with an injury.
Tim Cone couldn’t hide his excitement as LA Tenorio finally returned to the court after his months-long battle against colon cancer.
The floor general made his comeback on Sunday and helped Barangay Ginebra San Miguel hammer out a 110-99 win over the Terrafirma Dyip in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
“We have such joy for him getting back. We missed him. We missed his leadership,” Cone said of Tenorio after the match at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Tinyente clocked in almost 26 minutes and scored six points, all on much-needed three-pointers in the third period. He also added a rebound and three assists.
Tenorio's return couldn’t have come at a better time for Ginebra, which missed the services of Scottie Thompson. Thompson is out three weeks due to a left knee contusion he suffered in the previous game.
“It (leadership) was evident on the floor. We came out in the second half, struggled a little bit against their zone, and LA stepped up and made two big three pointers to keep us moving,” Cone said. “That’s LA. That’s what we’ve missed. That’s what were really happy to have.”
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Tenorio was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer last March and had to go through a series of chemotherapy sessions in Singapore. Amid all this ordeal, the Gineral soldiered on and remained upbeat.
“To me, the term 'warrior' is such a perfect description for him. He’s been a warrior his whole career and through all this,” Cone said.
Ginebra improved to a 4-1 win-loss record in the ongoing import-laced conference. And with Tenorio back at Cone’s disposal, it appears things are only getting better for the crowd favorites.
(MDB)