Tenorio to Gilas: Avoid social media

With just two weeks to go before Gilas Pilipinas makes it's much-awaited 2023 FIBA World Cup debut versus Dominican Republic, former national player LA Tenorio has one piece of advice to the players— “shut yourselves from social media.”

LA Tenorio FIBA PHOTO

The 39-year-old Tenorio remembered that during their build up for the World Cup in 2014, then team skipper Jimmy Alapag reminded them to avoid checking their social media account so they could completely focus on their preparation for the biggest tournament of their lives.

“As Jimmy said, 'you can't read social media,' so when we started preparing, and during the tournament proper, we were really disciplined,” Tenorio recounted during his interview at PlayitRight TV hosted by veteran sports analyst Quinito Henson and Dyan Castillejo.

“As a pro, we could have said, 'we're old enough not to be told what to do,' but again, in every competition (we went), every tournament, (we're out) 42 days during the preparation, we went all over the place and trained and played (in various) tournaments.”

Tenorio, who is currently undergoing the tail end of his treatment for colon cancer, said the social media shutdown helped everyone prepare for the World Cup after giving world-class squads Croatia, Puerto Rico and Argentina blushes before the Philippines fell short in each occasion.

Nonetheless, Tenorio shared that their team decision to shy away from social media also yielded fruit, that of beating Senegal in overtime, marking the first time the Philippines would win in the World Cup since the 1974 edition in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Tenorio added that as a backup guard, he was just blessed to be able to play alongside Alapag and Jayson Castro, while stand toe-to-toe against Puerto Rico star playmaker and then, NBA player JJ Barea, former Denver Nuggets guard Facundo Campazzo of Argentina and even a then, rising star in Giannis Antetokounmpo of Greece.

Antetokounmpo, nicknamed, the”Greek Freak” would eventually go on to become an NBA two-time Most Valuable Player and NBA champion with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.

“During our time, having understood my role, I just knew I had to be ready,” said the PBA's Iron Man. “And playing in the big stage, knowing Filipinos are crazy for basketball, with the opportunity given, I just grabbed it.”