LA Tenorio finds mentor in Jimmy Alapag: ‘I wanna be like him as a player and as a person’

Philippine national men’s basketball team captain Jimmy Alapag was not present during a victory party for the squad on Wednesday night.

In his stead, it was his roommate LA Tenorio who filled his shoes — something that probably won’t happen for the last time.

Alapag and Tenorio, unquestionably two of the top point guards in the country, had never had the opportunity to play together prior to being part of Gilas Pilipinas.

In fact, since they play the same position, the relationship they’ve had was often a competitive one.

“Alam mo, yun nga yung pinaguusapan namin lagi ni Jimmy eh. This is our first time to be on one team. Even in the All-Star Game, hindi kami nagkasama. Sa PBA, hindi kami nagsama talaga. This is our first time,” Tenorio told InterAKTV.

“Minsan nga nagkakalokohan kami na pag nagkakalaban kami, very competitive kaming dalawa.”

The two have grown close since joining Gilas, especially since they were assigned to share a room in the overseas training trips they took. And Tenorio values not only the lessons he learned from his veteran teammate, but also the chance to play beside one of the true winners in Philippine basketball today.

“Actually, we’ve been texting nga these past few days. Sobra yung narating namin together. Combining winner to winner talaga, malaking bagay,” he said.

He’s all praises for Alapag, who he calls a great leader not only on the court but also in the real world. Tenorio admires Alapag for his unyielding service to the national team, especially his decision to suit up for Gilas despite the ravages of age and injuries.

More than that, Alapag, a longtime point guard for Gilas coach Chot Reyes in the PBA, was an extension of the coach on the floor. His leadership, Tenorio believes, is part of what made this Philippine team so special. Every single player on the team will back him up on that, Tenorio insists.

Tenorio is very much a leader in his own right at Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. But he admits that at Gilas, he never expected to take on the leadership mantle alongside Alapag, especially with all the experienced veterans on the roster.

“I’m very happy and very honored na ako yung sumunod sa kanya. Hindi ko ine-expect yun eh. I expected Gary (David), Ranidel (De Ocampo),” he said.

But he knows Reyes saw something in him, and there was a reason why he was assigned to bunk with Alapag. “Kaya din siguro ni-roommate ako kay Jimmy eh,” Tenorio said.

“Siguro sa lahat ng meeting namin, sa activities namin, nakita ni Coach. I need to be like (Jimmy). I need to step up when Jimmy’s not there.”

The 35-year-old Alapag isn’t going to play at this level forever, and someone will need to step into the leadership role that Alapag so very much excelled in.

And when that day comes, it could be Tenorio filling in for his old captain, just like he did on Wednesday night.

“Gusto ko rin maging katulad niya na til the end of his career, naglaro siya para sa Pilipinas,” he said.

“To be honest, I want to be like him. As a player, as a person — wala akong masabi.”

Source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/la-tenorio-finds-mentor-in-jimmy-alapag-i-wanna-be-like-him-as-a-player-and-as-a-person