Arvin Tolentino and the NorthPort Batang Pier became the first team this Commissioner’s Cup to own victories over Magnolia, Brgy, Ginebra and San Miguel.
Arvin Tolentino and the NorthPort Batang Pier just accomplished what was once an improbable task: beat all San Miguel Corporation-owned teams in one conference.
One common narrative that stood out among those three wins is their strong, unyielding team belief of playing for one another.
“Naniniwala lang kami sa isa’t-isa. Since the start of the conference, ‘yun na ‘yung naging puhunan namin. [To just] believe if we can stick together,” Tolentino spoke in the aftermath of the Batang Pier’s 105-104 escape over the San Miguel Beermen.
NorthPort earlier handed losses to Magnolia and Barangay Ginebra before completing the trifecta in frustrating the reigning Commissioner’s Cup champions in a nail-biting finish.
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The Batang Pier squandered a 24-point lead but hung on despite getting outscored, 14-30, in the final quarter no thanks to import Kadeem Jack’s heroics.
Jack connected on a go-ahead basket with 16 seconds to punctuate a strong 38-point outing as NorthPort moved a step closer towards securing one of the two twice-to-beat incentives.
“San Miguel is a champion team kaya hindi naging madali sa amin [na manalo] even we’re up by 24 points,” Tolentino, who ended up with 22 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, added.
With just one game in their elimination round campaign, the former Gin King stresses the importance of playing as a team as the main reason for NorthPort’s success so far.
“Everytime we played as a team, enjoying the game and believing we can win, doon tumataas ‘yung moral ng team.”