LA Tenorio might actually try his hand as a playing-coach as the Magnolia Hotshots put their head coach on the active roster in the PBA Philippine Cup in lieu of the injured Paul Lee.
LA Tenorio may be back on the court soon.
The Magnolia Hotshots activated their head coach to replace the injured Paul Lee, according to an update on the PBA website.
This means the 41-year-old guard could make his first return as early as tomorrow, December 21, when Magnolia faces the TNT Tropang 5G in the 5:15 p.m. game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Big Dome also happens to be the venue of Tenorio’s current last game as a player—a heartbreaking 100-93 Game 7 loss by Ginebra to the eventual champion San Miguel Beermen in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals.
Adding depth to the Hotshots roster is big man Yukien Andrada, a recent NCAA champion with the San Beda Red Lions, who will serve as the team’s 15th player.
The move comes as Magnolia grapples with injuries as Lee sustained a hamstring injury in their match against Rain or Shine in Bahrain. That loss also saw guard Jerom Lastimosa suffer an ankle injury.
[ALSO READ: PBA: Jerom Lastimosa, Paul Lee suffer injury in Magnolia-Rain or Shine Bahrain game]
After a strong 4-1 start, Magnolia has dropped three of its last five games.
Currently, the Hotshots stand at 6-4 and fifth in the PBA standings.
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues