Tenorio named as new head coach of Gilas youth

Sports

THE Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has announced the appointment of veteran point guard LA Tenorio as the new head coach of the Gilas Pilipinas Youth program.

Tenorio, the heady playmaker of the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the Philippine Basketball Association, replaced Josh Reyes.

“He’s a natural leader and a winner on and off the court. He will teach our young athletes lessons they will use not only in basketball but in life as well,” SBP President Al Panlilio said in a statement.

Tenorio is aware of the pressure that comes with his new role, but the fourth overall pick in the 2006 PBA Rookie Draft is ready to take on the challenge.

“There’s a lot of pressure in the role because I’ll have big shoes to fill. What coach Josh Reyes accomplished by making it to two World Cups is not an easy feat but I’m excited to work with our young players and help them reach their full potential,” said Tenorio.

According to SBP, Tenorio’s appointment is part of the plan to align the country’s youth basketball program with the direction of the Gilas Pilipinas men’s team program headed by Tim Cone.

“I already talked to coach Tim and I’ll be running a similar system so our Youth players can easily transition to the men’s team,” he said.

SBP Executive Director Erika Dy added that the appointment of Tenorio will boost Cone’s interest in having a continuous program from the boys’ division to the men’s team made the decision to bring Tenorio in much easier.

“Coach Tim is big on continuity and that has been the reason why we’ve had a small pool for Gilas ever since he took over,” said Dy.

“Appointing Coach LA as head of our age group teams at the youth level strengthens that process. The goal is to complete the player journey from our grassroots to the elite level, and having a Youth coach who knows the system of coach Tim by heart will be beneficial for everyone involved,” Dy added.(CCM)