MANILA, Philippines—Northport’s Arvin Tolentino struggled at the worst possible time, as the Batang Pier fell to Barangay Ginebra in Game 5 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals on Friday, ending their impressive campaign.
However, despite the loss, coach Bonnie Tan had nothing but praise for the team’s franchise cornerstone and his remarkable performance throughout the conference.
Maximizing Tolentino’s Talent
“Arvin is Arvin. Before going to our franchise, his talent’s always been there,” said Tan in an interview with Inquirer Sports after Northport’s 126-99 loss at the Araneta Coliseum.
“As coaches, our objective is for our players to maximize their talents, which they weren’t able to do in other teams.”
Off-Night in a Crucial Game
Tolentino, who had been one of the league’s top performers, was shut down in Game 5. He managed just nine points, making only two of his 13 field goal attempts.
While he contributed 13 rebounds, it wasn’t enough to stop Ginebra from advancing to its second straight Finals appearance.
A Stellar Conference Run
Despite his disappointing semifinal performance, Tan emphasized that Tolentino’s exceptional play throughout the tournament should not be overlooked.
Tolentino was once the leading candidate for the Best Player of the Conference (BPC) award, averaging 23.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game—numbers he was never able to put up during his time with Ginebra.
Leading Northport to the Top
Tolentino, who was traded to Northport in 2022 as part of the Jamie Malonzo deal, led the Batang Pier to the No. 1 seed after the elimination round and helped them reach the semifinals.
“Arvin was right. No one expected us to be in the semis, so it was an opportunity for this team to showcase what they can do,” Tan added.
Northport wrapped up its Commissioner’s Cup campaign with an 11-7 record, proving that they were a team capable of competing with the league’s best—with Tolentino leading the charge.
