ARVIN Tolentino emphasized his No. 1 goal is to help Northport reach the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.
The Best Player of the Conference award can always wait.
“I think dalawang conferences na kaming hindi nagpe-playoffs. 'Yun talaga ang goal ko, to help the team as much as I can,” said Tolentino.
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The Batang Pier though, failed to earn an outright quarterfinals berth on Tuesday as they fell to Meralco, 111-94, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Tolentino had 19 points, three rebounds, and two assist as the team suffered only its second loss in nine games in the mid-season conference.
Despite the setback, Northport remains on top with its 7-2 record and still on track of making it to the next round.
It also kept Tolentino in the hunt for the BPC award, running a close second to San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo at the end of the first round of the eliminations.
He finished fourth in the BPC race in the season-opener Governors’ Cup.
But Tolentino admitted he is in the running for the conference's highest individual award mainly because of the way Northport is playing so far.
“I’m happy for that. But first of all, the reason naman kasi ay nananalo kami. So kumbaga mas nare-recognize 'yun at 'yun ang mas importante,” he stressed.
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The last time the Batang Pier were in the playoffs was in last year’s Commissioner’s Cup where they were bundled out by Barangay Ginebra in the opening round.
But Northport’s fast start convinced Tolentino the team could compete at a highest level.
“I really talk to them (Batang Pier), to make them believe na kaya naming makipag-sabayan, that we’re a legit contender,” he said.
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