Push Admin

LA Tenorio returns to basketball ‘with higher purpose’ after battle with cancer

Article (news)

Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="PBA Images/File." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/09/19/20230919-la-tenorio.jpg"/><figcaption>LA Tenorio giving instructions to Barangay Ginebra players. <em>PBA Images/File.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — LA Tenorio is now primed to make his much-awaited return to the hardcourt.</p><p>After a months-long battle with cancer, the Gilas Pilipinas legend was finally announced cancer-free, with his long-time head coach Tim Cone first confirming the news on Tuesday.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/19/23/tim-cone-la-tenorio-now-cancer-free">Tim Cone: LA Tenorio now cancer-free</a></li></ul><p>News broke last March 21 that Tenorio was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer, and this resulted in him exiting from the PBA and in basketball overall for an indefinite time. </p><p>On Wednesday, the PBA’s Iron Man then wrote on Instagram to spread the good news, saying that he will now be returning to the game that he loves ‘with higher purpose.’</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CxZhINHPQJP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"> </div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CxZhINHPQJP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div><div style="padding-top:8px"><div style="color:#3897f0;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:550;line-height:18px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CxZhINHPQJP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CxZhINHPQJP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by LA Tenorio (@la_tenorio)</a></div></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>“The past 8 months were really challenging for me and my family. 2023 started off well, [with us] winning the championship, but [I] closed that conference with a groin injury. Who would have known that was God&#x27;s way of knocking on my door giving me a sign to rest and mind my body. Soon after, I have been nursing a tumor in my colon,” he penned.</p><p>“February 2023, for me, marks one of the hardest periods of my life. From not knowing the extent of cancer I have, to facing my wife and children every day knowing I have a life-threatening disease. One thing though I kept constant was God [and] my faith. I drew strength from Him. I entrusted everything to Him, believing everything has a purpose.”</p><p>“My journey - from the tests, the surgery, the official diagnosis, to the 12 sessions of chemotherapy - was an experience I will never forget. It&#x27;s the kind that marks us and gives us a different perspective in life. Just like many other cancer patients, there were bad days, but all I can be grateful for is God gave me the power to continue my life as a father, provider, son, brother, and friend to everyone around me all throughout the journey.”</p><p>“September 19, 2023, as I step out of my doctor&#x27;s clinic with my wife, and as my nurse pulls out my chemo line plugged into my heart for 6 months, I am writing this message to everyone: For those who were my prayer warriors, for those who showed me so much love and support, know that I am forever grateful to all of you.”</p><p>“My scan and last test results show no trace of cancer and that the treatment was effective. I am now in remission. Praise God!”</p><p>“Now, I am returning to basketball. For my love of the game. This time with a higher purpose.”</p><p>“Not as the old LA, but hopefully with the new and better version of myself. I hope I can help inspire people through the game of basketball - that life, winning battles, winning championships - are all more meaningful not because of the end goal but because of the journey.</p><p>“I can&#x27;t wait to touch a basketball once again. This is my story, and I&#x27;m ready to enter the next chapter of my life. All this to His Glory.”</p><p>Tenorio’s first return to hoops will come at the 19th Asian Games in China where he will be serving as an assistant coach for Cone and Gilas Pilipinas. </p><p>Meanwhile, he can also make his PBA return in eight weeks when the league returns for its 48th Season on November 5th. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/12/23/asian-games-tenorio-makes-gilas-return-as-coach-la">Asian Games: Tenorio makes Gilas return as ‘Coach LA’</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/03/21/23/la-tenorio-diagnosed-with-colon-cancer">LA Tenorio diagnosed with colon cancer</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zZKnrR8V1Y0?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

LA Tenorio returns to basketball ‘with higher purpose’ after battle with cancer

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Sports

LA Tenorio returns to basketball ‘with higher purpose’ after battle with cancer

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 20, 2023 03:54 PM PHT

Read More:

Basketball

Gilas Pilipinas

Asian Games

2023 Asian Games

PBA

Barangay Ginebra

Tim Cone

LA Tenorio

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.