PBA: Ginebra’s LA Tenorio set for surgery, likely out for season

FILE – Geneva Barangay Guard LA Tenorio. PBA PICTURES

MANILA, Philippines-Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone ruled out LA Tenorio for the remainder of the PBA Governors Cup due to a groin injury that ended his streak of 744 consecutive games.

“We heard from the coach, about four to six weeks,” Cone said after Ginebra’s 112-107 win over Meralco on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. “So he’ll probably be out for another conference. He’ll have surgery.”

Tenorio said he had “aggravated his sports hernia” which forced the veteran cager to miss a game for the first time in his PBA career. The 17-year veteran was nowhere to be found when the streak ended.

Cone couldn’t comfort Tenorio, who has been plagued by injuries since the Gin Kings defeated the visiting Bay Area Dragons for the Commissioner’s Cup title.

“It’s destroying LA,” Cone said. “But all good things come to an end. He’s one of those guys who hasn’t missed a game, hasn’t missed a practice—hasn’t missed a practice his whole career. It’s great that he’s made it this far.

“That’s a record that’s going to take a long, long time to break. Because it’s actually the first game he’s missed in his career. And he’s 38 years old. Imagine that.”

But Cone hopes his absence will benefit not only Tenorio but Ginebra in the long run.

“It’s the end of an era. But it’s not the end of LA. He’ll be back. He’ll be back to play. We’re looking forward to keeping a spot for him. And I’m sure he’ll start another streak, knowing LA.”

“It’s a big problem for him, and it’s a big problem for us. But the only thing we can do is move on. So we move on from here. And he will too,” added Cone.

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