MANILA, Philippines – NorthPort Batang Pier star Arvin Tolentino continues to show why he’s deserving of a spot in the PBA’s First Mythical Team.
After falling one assist short of a triple-double in their previous outing, Tolentino erupted for a new career-best in scoring as the Batang Pier made easy work of the Converge FiberXers, 135-109, in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Thursday, August 29.
Tolentino converted on 15 of his 27 field goal attempts, going 10-of-14 from the two-point area and 5-of-10 from beyond the arc, to finish with a new career-high 51 points.
The high-scoring forward Tolentino became the first local player to breach the 50-point territory in six years since Terrafirma Dyip guard Stanley Pringle – who was still playing for the Batang Pier then – dropped 50 markers in 2018.
Still, the former FEU standout gave credit to his teammates, saying NorthPort is simply not just an Arvin Tolentino team.
“This team is not a one-man team, like a lot of people are saying. We play as a team and we have fun as teammates,” said Tolentino, who surpassed his previous career-high of 35 points he set last season.
“We were positive the whole week, we were having fun, but at the same time doing what we have to do,” he continued.
Four more Batang Pier players scored in double figures in the wire-to-wire drubbing, with Joshua Munzon backing up Tolentino with 19 points.
Jio Jalalon contributed 13 points, while Damie Cuntapay and Will Navarro added 11 and 10 markers, respectively.
Tolentino wasted no time making his presence felt as he dropped 22 of his 51 points in the first two quarters to help NorthPort build a 68-49 edge at halftime.
Tolentino and the rest of the Batang Pier then showed no signs of slowing down in the second half as they even extended their lead to as many as 29 points late in the third quarter, 96-67, off a basket by Cuntapay.
Fresh from hitting a historic game-winning four-pointer just two days ago, Scotty Hopson paced the FiberXers in their lopsided defeat with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists.
NorthPort improved to 2-1 in Group A, while Converge dropped to an even 2-2 slate.
In a battle between two powerhouse squads in Group A, the TNT Tropang Giga returned to the winning column following a hard-earned 88-82 victory over the Magnolia Hotshots.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson stuffed the stat sheet for the Tropang Giga anew with 32 points, 19 rebounds, and 7 assists as they bounced back big from their stinging loss to Converge and hiked their record to 2-2.
With Magnolia on top by 2 points, 80-78, it was Hollis-Jefferson who sparked TNT’s furious late-game rally as he hit a booming triple with 3:07 to play to give the Tropang Giga a slim 81-80 advantage.
Jayson Castro and Poy Erram then connected on crucial back-to-back baskets, before Hollis-Jefferson put the finishing touches and capped TNT’s fiery 10-0 run with a steal and a slam with just 31.2 ticks left.
Rey Nambatac chipped in 15 points for TNT, while Roger Pogoy and Brian Heruela poured in 12 and 10, respectively.
Import Glenn Robinson topscored for the Hotshots – who fell to a 1-2 card – with 19 markers.
First Game
NorthPort 135 – Tolentino 51, Munzon 19, Jalalon 13, Cuntapay 11, Navarro 10, Yu 6, Jois 6, Bulanadi 6, Nelle 5, Amores 4, Onwubere 2, Taha 2, Flores 0, Tratter 0.
Converge 109 – Hopson 24, Stockton 19, Arana 16, Winston 16, Santos 12, Racal 8, Delos Santos 6, Nieto 4, Maagdenberg 2, melecio 2, Cabagnot 0, Caralipio 0, Fleming 0, Ambohot 0, Andrade 0.
Quarters: 38-24, 68-49, 100-77, 135-109.
Second Game
TNT 88 – Hollis-Jefferson 32, Nambatac 15, Pogoy 12, Heruela 10, Erram 6, Castro 4, Oftana 3, Khobuntin 3, Aurin 3, Varilla 0, Exciminiano 0, Ebona 0.
Magnolia 82 – Robinson III 19, Lucero 14, Lee 13, Barroca 12, Sangalang 11, Abueva 7, Dela Rosa 6, Ahanmisi 0, Dionisio 0, Alfaro 0, Escoto 0, Laput 0.
Quarters: 29-22, 50-49, 72-66, 88-82.
– Rappler.com
