Once fierce foes featured in Manila Clasico, veteran Mark Barroca and new head coach LA Tenorio will now join forces in ending the Magnolia Hotshots' title drought in the PBA.
Veteran playmaker Mark Barroca is finally teaming up with LA Tenorio at Magnolia.
Only this time, Tenorio will be his mentor as the Ginebra star takes over the coaching reins of the Hotshots from Chito Victolero.
The 39-year-old Barroca could not help but feel thrilled.
[RELATED STORY: Official: LA Tenorio takes over as Magnolia Hotshots head coach from Chito Victolero]
“Excited at looking forward ako kasi, siyempre, kilala naman natin siya. Isa siya sa mga tinitingalang point guard sa PBA,” Barroca told One Sports.
Last July 28, San Miguel Corporation sports director Alfrancis Chua confirmed Tenorio’s move to Magnolia just hours before Gilas' send-off match against the Macau Black Bears at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
Tenorio's Gin Kings teammates Justin Brownlee, Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar expressed their well-wishes for their captain, who won eight championships as a player.
[RELATED STORY: LA Tenorio as PBA playing-coach for Magnolia Hotshots? Chua, Brownlee weigh in]
The pint-sized Tenorio has also been exposed to the national team multiple times as playmaker and coach. As chief tactician of the Gilas Pilipinas Youth, he steered the squad to the FIBA Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers gold last May.
Barroca is confident that Tenorio would bring a lot to the table for the championship-starved Magnolia, who last lifted the trophy in the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup.
“Matalinong maglaro, magaling na leader at nasa dugo niya pa 'yong pagiging winner. Madadala niya sa team 'yong winning culture,” Barroca said of Tenorio.
“Excited akong matuto sa kanya. Alam kong marami siyang madadala sa team naming maganda.”