MANILA, Philippines — When the Barangay Ginebra Kings "never said die" against NLEX on Sunday night, it was LA Tenorio who led the charge.
But the diminutive guard's afterimage of jumpshots, passes and defensive stops was another backcourt presence – one who Tim Cone is patiently waiting for catch fire.
On that same night, Scottie Thompson operated with little fanfare. But his prints were all over the game, as he was Tenorio's deputy in that huge third quarter rally that dug the Kings out of a 16-point hole.
The sophomore again flirted with a triple-double with 11 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
"'Di ko nga alam eh," Thompson said of his performance. "Unang-una, lahat ng pasa ko, hinahanap o si Kuya LA – eh mainit siya. ‘Di ko talaga alam na ganoon na pala ang stats ko."
The former NCAA Most Valuable Player, who made a mark in the pros as a rebounding guard, said that brushing with near-triple doubles is such a steep task, as Ginebra is loaded with scorers.
"Hindi din madali," Thompson said. "Unang una, ang daming scorers sa amin. [Pero] gusto ni coach Tim maging aggressive din ako sa opensa. Dinadahan-dahan ko din naman."
"'Di ko minamadali. Ang akin lang, 'yung game ko – 'yung hustle plays – 'di ko babaguhin 'yun."
So are we going to expect any Russell Westbrook-esque numbers soon?
"Mahirap'yun, pero wala namang imposible," he teased. "Pag-trabahuhuan lang, tsaka sana, healthy lagi."