WHILE NorthPort failed in its bid in the import-spiced meet, Batang Pier star Arvin Tolentino shone the brightest among all locals.
Tolentino bagged the Pocari Sweat PBA Commissioner’s Cup Best Player of the Conference award—his first—in his five-year career.
“It’s surreal feeling na, like you said very early, I’ve been in the league five years, then nakakuha na ako ng isa sa pinakamataas na award,” Tolentino said last Friday night before Game 4 of the conference Big Dance pitting TNT and Ginebra and after receiving the coveted plum. “Iyon ang parang testament lang na kung pano ko trabahuhin every day, to be one of the best.
“Actually, like I said before mataas ako mangarap. I really want to be the best, to be the best kailangan ikaw pinaka-hardworking. You also have to beat the best,” he added.
The 6-foot-5 Tolentino amassed 1,077 points to beat Tropang Giga gunner Calvin Oftana (777) and 11-time winner June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beer (600).
TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson notched a third Best Import plum—first in the Commissioner’s Cup—after winning two diadems in the Governors’ Cup.
The former NBA player did it via runaway fashion with (1,280 points) over Kadeem Jack of Northport (825).
Tolentino, a former Ateneo and Far Eastern University standout, wound up third in statistical points with 454 behind Fajardo (525) and Bolick (464).
He also placed third in the players’ votes with 54 points, which Oftana pounced with 98 and followed by Bolick with 62.
But Tolentino got the bulk of the media votes with 564, dropping Oftana at second with 230.
Bolick finished fourth in the BPC derby with 540 points, while behind him was Converge rookie Jordan Heading with 419 points.
Tolentino, tabbed 10th overall by the Kings in the 2020 Draft, drew high-fives from former Ginebra teammates and from coach Tim Cone and assistant Olsen Racela—his former Tamaraws coach.
“Of course, karamihan naman sa kanila, ang tagal ko na nakasama. Iyong brotherhood na na-build namin, even off the court, nandoon,” Tolentino said. “Of course, I’ve played for that team, and played for coach Tim. I started my career with him. I learned so much from him.
“Coach O (Racela) was my college coach, my ninong. Ninong namin sa kasal ng wife ko. I said good luck lang and I saw them very, very happy.”
The problem for the opposition? Tolentino said he can only get better.
“Hindi ko inexpect na makukuha ko ito,” he said. “The whole time I was just trying to be better, trying to improve myself every day. Ito iyong naging reward.”
