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    Arwind Santos, 40, prefers to lead by example in a young NorthPort side

    Arwind inspires, motivates youthful Batang Pier core
    Feb 24, 2022
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    NorthPort veteran Arwind Santos reaches for the rebound against Magnolia's Mark Barroca.

    ANTIPOLO CITY – Arwind Santos is playing under Pido Jarencio for the very first time in a long career.

    Yet he already showed how he embraces the NorthPort coach’s famous mantra of ‘Pride, Puso, Palaban.’

    The former MVP shrugged off a severe ankle sprain and a bloodied nose to help inspire a NorthPort side to a thrilling 103-101 win over league-leader Magnolia on Thursday night in the PBA Season 46 Governors Cup.

    Santos, 40, finished with 14 points and eight rebounds in the Batang Pier’s second straight win despite skipping team practices the past four days after suffering a sprain in the team’s last outing against Meralco.

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      To make matter worse, he was also hit on the nose by Magnolia import Mike Harris in the waning seconds of a game where NorthPort led by as many as 19 points late in the third quarter, leaving him no choice but to finish the game in pain.

      But all these, Santos had to endure in his desire to see NorthPort get away with the win despite playing with a depleted roster.

      All heart

      “Yung puso natin nasa team kahit na hindi pa ako ganun katagal dito. Sabi ko nga ganun ko kamahal yung basketball,” said Santos after the Batang Pier’s second consecutive win after starting the conference with five losses.

      Without injured players Kevin Ferrer, Art Dela Cruz, and Jonathan Grey, as well as Gilas training pool member Robert Bolick, Santos knew the Batang Pier needed all the help it could get from their personnel.

      “God is good, pinilit ko. Nagpapasalamat ako na nawala yung pain kanina. Tinakbo ko, tinalon ko, kaunting-kaunti na lang siya (pain),” he said. “Mabuti na lang maganda yung nilaro namin. Dikit yung laban and nanalo pa rin.”

      As the most veteran in the team, Santos has no doubt become the leader the young Batang Pier team is beginning to look up to.

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        While he acknowledged it, the lanky big man said none of it would've be possible without the trust given him by the coaching staff and his teammates.

        “Una nagpapasalamat ako sa tiwala ng mga coaches namin, pati yung tiwala ng mga teammates ko,” he said.

        “Sabi nga nila at my age, sinasabi nila, ‘Grabe ka kuya, para kang hindi ganyan…so nakakatuwa,” Santos added. “So lalo akong nai-inspire. Kaya every game, gusto kong ipakita sa kanila na ako nga nagagawa ko, what more kayo na mas bata. Kaya ginagamit ko yun para at least magkaroon ng positive result.”

        And it shows with the way NorthPort had been playing these days.

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        NorthPort veteran Arwind Santos reaches for the rebound against Magnolia's Mark Barroca.
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