Like all the great PBA point guards before him, Alaska playmaker LA Tenorio has put a giant of a
goal to aim for right before him.
And the former Ateneo Blue Eagle star has chosen the one against whom all others who play the No. 1
spot are measured – the ‘Flying A’ Johnny Abarrientos.
“Yon ang gusto kong posisyon pag dating ng panahon, yung posisyon ni Johnny,” said Tenorio after
watching in awe as Alaska, with team owner Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, team manager Joaqui Trillo and
coach Tim Cone present, retired Abarrientos’ No. 14 jersey during the Aces’ 25th anniversary
celebration late last month.
“Siya ang court-general ng Alaska team, lalo na noong Grand Slam year nila. Iba ang sitwasyon nila
pag nasa loob siya ng court, the way he sets up his teammates. Ibang klase talaga siyang magdala ng
team.”
News that Abarrientos, now in the reserve list with Barangay Ginebra, might be signed to a one-year
contract by the Aces has sent Tenorio into anticipation overdrive.
“Excited ako noong mabasa ko. Nagtanong-tanong agad ako,” he said. “Kahit suntok sa buwan,
sana magkatotoo. I hope makalaro siya. Malaking bagay sa’kin yon na makalaban siya araw-araw sa
ensayo, makakuha ng mga pointers sa kanya.”
Abarrientos and veteran San Miguel point guard Olsen Racela rank high in Tenorio’s wish list for
teammates.
“Nakasama ko na yung isang idol ko noong nasa San Miguel pa ‘ko, sana naman makasama ko rin si
Johnny,” said Tenorio, who was voted Finals MVP along with teammate Cyrus Baguio after Alaska won
the 2009 Fiesta Cup title.
Abarrientos joining him in the Alaska backcourt in the ongoing Philippine Cup would be the icing for
Tenorio. But what would represent the cake for him is if the Aces win the All-Filipino crown.
“Yan ang gusto kong makuha, yung All-Filipino, dahil dalawang beses na kami na-deny at marami
nagsasabi malaki daw yung import namin (Diamon Simpson) noong nakaraang conference,” said Tenorio.
“Tapos, pag nakuha mo yung unang championship, naka-lineup ka na sa Grand Slam dahil binalik na
nga yung three conferences, di ba? Kaya malaking motivation at challenge sa’kin at sa mga
teammates ko. Pero siempre malayo pa yon kaya dito muna kami focused sa first conference.”
Holding a sports magazine where he and Baguio, dressed like Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith in the
Men In Black, are featured in the cover and in the inside pages, Tenorio said the new rules
implemented by the PBA will be “good for the fans,” especially those who prefer speed and
allowable physical contact.
“Maganda sa kanila yan dahil banggaan,” he said. “Pero kailangan kundisyon ka. Ako nga kanina,
tapos ng game (against Barako Bull), pakiramdam ko parang tatlong game na ang inilaro ko e. Pero
sanayan lang yan. Sabi nga ni Jolas (Alaska assistant coach Jojo Lastimosa), ganyan ang laro noong
time nila, talagang physical.”
Lastimosa knows. He was part, among many memorable years with Alaska, of that one magical season in
1996 when he and Abarrientos, Bong Hawkins, Poch Juinio, Jeffrey Cariaso and a handful of others
conquered the best the PBA had to offer.
The year the Aces won only the league’s fourth Grand Slam, and the season Johnny Abarrientos was
named Most Valuable Player.
At 26.
LA Tenorio’s exact age now.
