SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — It was today of all days in which LA Tenorio wanted to make the strongest impression as Gilas Youth Pilipinas coach.

Somewhere in the bleachers of the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center cheering him on was his mentor of 18 years and counting at Alaska and Gilas Pilipinas and now at Barangay Ginebra, Tim Cone.

Tenorio’s longtime coach made the Sunday trip from his home in Alabang to Pampanga, less than 24 hours since leading the Gin Kings’ 101-99 win over Blackwater in the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup.

Sure, there’s pressure when the national coach and the most successful bench strategist in PBA history watches on as you call the shots for a young Philippine crew in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers.

But above all, it was about making Coach Tim proud.

PHOTO: SBP

“Nakakataba ng puso na yung mentor mo talagang pinapanood ka. Hopefully, this is not the first and the last time he comes out and supports us,” Tenorio shared with SPIN.ph after Gilas Youth's 87-42 win over Thailand.

“Even on a busy schedule, nandito siya, so you will really appreciate it na he’ll drive here pa [to Pampanga]," he added. "As a young coach, gusto mo yung mentor mo is always there to mentor you and to look at you.”

Tenorio is one of a select few to have lived and breathed Cone’s system and style of play the longest. As such, it is no surprise that there’s been more than a few Alaska-esque and Ginebra-esque semblances in the Gilas Youth coach’s brand of basketball.

It may not be a perfect carbon copy, but it’s definitely close.

But the resemblance may also be deliberate, since it will prepare prospects in the Gilas Youth program for the transition should they be called up to Cone's national senior team in the future.

“Probably 90 percent, 95 percent,” Tenorio said when asked what he picked up from his longtime coach. “Actually, I'm really doing the same system with the Gilas men’s team and coach Tim’s system [with Ginebra].

“Kasi most of my career, I played for coach Tim and we've been successful together. Him as my coach and [me] his player, napakalaking bagay nu’n.”

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