ARVIN Tolentino considers it as a big bonus if ever he romps off with his first Best Player of the Conference award in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup.
“Pampalubag-loob,” he said with a big laugh.
But real talk, it’s the closest the NorthPort star could get to the top individual honor of the conference in the aftermath of the Batang Pier’s surprising run in the midseason tournament where they ended up as the top-seeded team – first for the franchise – heading to the playoffs.
It didn't end the way the team wanted, however, after losing the best-of-seven semifinals series against Barangay Ginebra, but it also didn’t change the fact that Tolentino’s star shone brightly with the way he carried NorthPort on his shoulders and led them to just their third semis stint in franchise history.
READ: Arvin singles out Munzon as he lists major NorthPort gains
That allowed the 29-year-old forward to strongly contend for the BPC plum, crowding out the likes of 11-time winner June Mar Fajardo, Robert Bolick, Jordan Heading, and Calvin Oftana for the coveted award.
He finished third in the statistical points standings (36.3 SPs) behind Fajardo (42.0) and Bolick (37.1), while ahead of Heading (32.6) and Oftana (31.9).
But with San Miguel and NLEX failing to reach the playoffs, Fajardo and Bolick were automatically no longer in contention, making Tolentino a favorite to get the nod over Heading and Oftana.
Arvin's deserved reward
He made it clear, though, that any one from the top five official candidates are deserving to win the award to be handed out in Game 4 of the finals between TNT and Ginebra Friday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
“Si Calvin, June Mar, deserve na deserve (nila),” said Tolentino. “Si Robert, Jordan Heading, it doesn’t really matter kung sino manalo.”
But should he make it, Tolentino said it’s definitely a personal reward for all the sacrifices he made through the years of playing in Asia’s first ever play-for-pay league.
“It’s gonna be my first BPC award. It’s a reward for really pushing myself every day, for working hard and trying to be better,” said Tolentino, who suited up for Ateneo then Far Eastern University in college.
“If ever makuha ko, I’ll be really, really proud for myself for the work that I put in. Yung paggising ng umaga, sakit ng katawan. Although we didn’t make it to the finals, we didn’t win it all, it’s a big bonus.”
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