By REYNALD MAGALLON
LA Tenorio knew the Never-Say-Die attitude of Ginebra all too well — well enough to sense when it was about to kick in.
So just as things started slipping away from Magnolia in the fourth quarter, the new Hotshots mentor called a timely timeout that seemed to restore order.
In the end, the student got the better of the teacher as Tenorio’s Magnolia squad fended off his former coach Tim Cone and Barangay Ginebra, 80-73, to kick off the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup on a high note at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 5.
With the Kings threatening a comeback in the final frame, Tenorio seemed to press all the right buttons in his PBA coaching debut, guiding the Hotshots on a crucial 8-2 run that kept them afloat and secured their first win of the league’s golden season.
Zav Lucero fired 17 points — none bigger than the clutch layup that not only stretched Magnolia’s lead back to eight, 65-57, but also halted a Ginebra rally midway through the payoff period.
Lucero added seven rebounds, four steals, and a block to his stat line, while Jerom Lastimosa and Javi Gomez de Liaño chipped in 14 points each to provide solid support.
The Hotshots actually had a fiery start to the contest, establishing a 17-5 advantage right at the opening frame.
Magnolia held on to the lead despite the repeated rallies from Ginebra, keeping a 15-point advantage, 63-48, early in the final frame.
Stephen Holt, who had a double-double of 16 points and 17 rebounds, connived with RJ Abarrientos and Jeremiah Gray to cut the deficit down to six, only for the mini run to be quickly doused by timely Answers from the Hotshots.
Gray had 13 points for the Kings as the Hotshots defense clamped down on Scottie Thompson who was held scoreless on just dive attempts.
