Playing his familiar role as the Ateneo savior, Tenorio once again buried a triple with the game on the line, this time leading his team past defending champion FEU, 67-64, and to a remarkable seven-game sweep of the first round of the eliminations.
"Ako na naman," said the Ateneo pointguard who hit a triple over the outstretched arms of FEU defender Denok Miranda in the final 24.4 seconds. It broke the game’s fifth and last deadlock at 62, and the hearts of all FEU supporters.
Tenorio had a similar basket against Adamson last week, hitting a triple in the final 4.3 seconds as Ateneo fought back from a 20-point deficit to prevail. Hitting the game-winner is turning out to be a good habit for this court wizard.
"But this only adds up to the pressure because all the teams will really try to beat us in the second round. But we will step up," added Tenorio, who was pulled out of the game with cramps on his right leg after hitting the big shot.
"He’s just taking over," said Ateneo team consultant Norman Black of Tenorio, who was busy signing autographs, sitting near the Ateneo bench while his teammates were singing the school hymn at centercourt.
Inside the press room, Ateneo coach Sandy Arespacochaga took a hard time searching for words to describe Tenorio and his decisive triple, just one of his five treys for the game where he finished with 26 points.
"Whew, I’m speechless," said the rookie Ateneo coach who added it never occurred even in his wildest dreams that Ateneo, under him, would go undefeated in the first round of eliminations.
"We trust LA that when the ball is in his hands, he knows what to with it. Whether he would pass off or take the shot," said Arespacochaga, adding that with the perfect record, the Blue Eagles are "happy but not overexcited."
It was the third straight win of Ateneo since losing star forward Larry Fonacier to a knee injury. Fonacier was at the Big Dome yesterday, no longer using crutches for his left knee injury.
Behind 2003 MVP Arwind Santos, the Tamaraws rallied from a 16-point deficit with a big third-quarter run only to falter in the end. They went scoreless for almost four minutes halfway through the final period and fell to 5-2.
For a change, University of the Philippines came out a winner, beating National University, 69-56, in a one-sided contest, leaving the Bulldogs as the only winless team halfway through the elims.
The two teams came in sporting identical 0-6 records.