La Tenorio faces old squad as Magnolia, Ginebra collide in PBA’s golden season opener

The stage is set for a dramatic beginning to the PBA’s 50th season, with one of the league’s most familiar faces stepping into an entirely new role.

 LA Tenorio, the court general once hailed as the “Iron Man” of Philippine basketball, will make his coaching debut for Magnolia when the Hotshots square off against Barangay Ginebra in the season-opening “Manila Clasico” on Sunday, October 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

For Tenorio, it’s more than just another rivalry game. The 39-year-old is set to coach against the very franchise he spent 13 years with, winning seven of his eight career championships as a Gin King. 

The twist only heightens the intrigue of the opening-day spectacle, pitting Magnolia’s new head coach against his former team in one of the league’s most storied rivalries.

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Adding another layer of drama, Tenorio’s first coaching test comes opposite his longtime mentor, Tim Cone. The winningest coach in PBA history with 25 titles, Cone not only guided Tenorio to multiple championships with Ginebra but also first molded him as a young point guard during their Alaska days from 2008 to 2012.

The PBA formally unveiled its Philippine Cup schedule during a press conference at Shangri-La The Fort on Wednesday, highlighting the Manila Clasico opener as the centerpiece of its golden anniversary celebration.

The league is also pulling out all the stops for the milestone year. Before tip-off, fans will witness an opening ceremony promised to be “unlike any other” in PBA history. In addition, the Leo Awards will take center stage, with San Miguel Beermen superstar June Mar Fajardo aiming for a record-extending ninth MVP plum.

With history, emotion, and legacy colliding, Sunday’s opener won’t just launch another PBA season — it will mark the beginning of a new chapter for Tenorio, who now seeks to craft his coaching story against the same team where he built his legend. 

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