Tolentino explodes for 51, leads NorthPort’s blowout win

Sports

SWEET-SHOOTING forward Arvin Tolentino did something special when he led the NorthPort Batang Pier to a dominant 135-109 win over the Converge FiberXers in the 49th PBA Governors’ Cup on Thursday night, August 29, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The 6-foot-5 Tolentino erupted for a career-high 51 points, going 15-of-27 from the field, including a 5-for-10 clip from the three-point range.

The former Gilas Pilipinas stalwart also sank 16 free throws in the offensive explosion that made him the first local player to reach the 50-point plateau since Stanley Pringle, still playing for the NorthPort franchise, fired 50 in a in GlobalPort’s 133-115 triumph over Columbian last June 22, 2018.

Tolentino was the first player in 20 years to score 51 points or since Asi Taulava did it in 2004 when he led Talk N Text to a 131-105 victory over Magnolia.

Tolentino’s explosion allowed NorthPort to hike its record to 2-1 (win-loss). Joshua Munzon added 19 points and five steals, Jio Jalalon tallied 13 rebounds and five assists while Damien Cuntapay had a career-high 11 points.

The strong local production negated the meager production of NOrthPort import Venky Jois, who only scored six points.

Scotty Hopson had 24 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for Converge, which dropped to 2-2.

THE SCORES:

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.(CCM)