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Arvin Tolentino's Big Bounce-Back Powers NorthPort's Dominant Season Opener
Photo credit: PBA
Arvin Tolentino overcame a rocky start to light up the scoreboard with 29 points, leading the NorthPort Batang Pier to a resounding 114-87 blowout victory over the NLEX Road Warriors in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup opener at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Thursday.
Things didn’t look too hot for Tolentino at first—he missed his first four shots and was scoreless in the opening quarter. But once he found his rhythm in the second quarter, there was no stopping him. Scoring 15 points in that stretch alone, he helped NorthPort flip the script, turning a 16-point deficit into a commanding 56-41 halftime lead.
And NorthPort didn’t let up. By the fourth quarter, they were up by as much as 31 points, sealing the deal with several key players—JM Calma, Jio Jalalon, and Paul Zamar—sidelined due to injuries.
Assistant coach Rensy Bajar, stepping in for head coach Bonnie Tan during the post-game presser, gave credit where it was due: “It’s all about the character of this team. We started flat... but the good thing there is our second group stepped up.”
Tolentino, who ended up shooting 10-of-17 from the field (including a perfect 2-of-2 from deep), echoed the sentiment. “Medyo kinalawang kami, if that’s the right term,” he admitted. “But ‘yung second unit namin ‘yung nagdala... then na-carry namin ang momentum. Nu’ng second quarter medyo umangat na laro namin.”
Kadeem Jack also shook off a slow start, finishing with 25 points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Allyn Bulanadi contributed 14 points off the bench. Meanwhile, Joshua Munzon put in solid work on defense, holding NLEX’s star guard Robert Bolick to just three points on 1-of-11 shooting.
Though NLEX’s Michael Griffin-Watkins delivered an impressive 29 points and 19 boards, it wasn’t enough to offset their struggles in the middle quarters, where they were outscored 70-38.
The Road Warriors initially came out firing, making 10 of their first 21 shots to build a 25-9 lead. But NorthPort’s bench and Tolentino’s heroics turned the tide, setting the tone for what could be a promising campaign.
It’s only Game 1, but if this is how the Batang Pier can bounce back from adversity, their opponents better watch out.
Things didn’t look too hot for Tolentino at first—he missed his first four shots and was scoreless in the opening quarter. But once he found his rhythm in the second quarter, there was no stopping him. Scoring 15 points in that stretch alone, he helped NorthPort flip the script, turning a 16-point deficit into a commanding 56-41 halftime lead.
And NorthPort didn’t let up. By the fourth quarter, they were up by as much as 31 points, sealing the deal with several key players—JM Calma, Jio Jalalon, and Paul Zamar—sidelined due to injuries.
Assistant coach Rensy Bajar, stepping in for head coach Bonnie Tan during the post-game presser, gave credit where it was due: “It’s all about the character of this team. We started flat... but the good thing there is our second group stepped up.”
Tolentino, who ended up shooting 10-of-17 from the field (including a perfect 2-of-2 from deep), echoed the sentiment. “Medyo kinalawang kami, if that’s the right term,” he admitted. “But ‘yung second unit namin ‘yung nagdala... then na-carry namin ang momentum. Nu’ng second quarter medyo umangat na laro namin.”
Kadeem Jack also shook off a slow start, finishing with 25 points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Allyn Bulanadi contributed 14 points off the bench. Meanwhile, Joshua Munzon put in solid work on defense, holding NLEX’s star guard Robert Bolick to just three points on 1-of-11 shooting.
Though NLEX’s Michael Griffin-Watkins delivered an impressive 29 points and 19 boards, it wasn’t enough to offset their struggles in the middle quarters, where they were outscored 70-38.
The Road Warriors initially came out firing, making 10 of their first 21 shots to build a 25-9 lead. But NorthPort’s bench and Tolentino’s heroics turned the tide, setting the tone for what could be a promising campaign.
It’s only Game 1, but if this is how the Batang Pier can bounce back from adversity, their opponents better watch out.
Nov 29, 2024
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