It was one of those nights that everything worked for NorthPort.
Converge, on the other hand, had nothing right going its way.
Arvin Tolentino led the Batang Pier’s onslaught with a career-best 51 points in a 135–109 blowout of the error-plagued FiberXers for their second straight win in Group A of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup Thursday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Tolentino was perfect from the foul line, making 16-of-16 and shot 15-of-27 from the field as NorthPort improved to a 2-1 win-loss.
The forward made his last basket off a jumper with 2:01 before calling it a night with victory already in the bag.
“I don’t know (what got into me). A little speechless but I was hot right from the start of the game. We were already leading, I felt that the team was running well especially in transition and on defense,” said Tolentino, who bounced back from scoring only 10 points on a 4-of-11 shooting clip in NorthPort’s previous win over Terrafirma.
Tolentino became the first local player to reach 50 points in a game since Stanley Pringle, who was still with Globalport scored 50 against Columbian back on 22 June 2018.
He also matched Asi Taulava’s output back in 2004 when Talk ‘N Text beat Purefoods, 131-105, in the Fiesta Conference.
“I guess I’m just lucky the ball came my way, and I was able to shoot it,” an emotional Tolentino added.
Joshua Munzon added 19 points, Jio Jalalon had 13 while Damie Cuntapay went 4of-4 from the field for 11 markers for the Batang Pier, who didn’t mind having Venky Jois step back on offense with just six markers.
Cuntapay pushed NorthPort’s lead to 96-67 with a basket with 2:21 left in third quarter.
The Batang Pier did an excellent job defending Converge import Scotty Hopson, who nailed the game-winning four-pointer over TNT last Tuesday, for the majority of the game and made the FiberXers commit 21 turnovers which they turned into 19 turnover points.
It was also a field day at the foul line for NorthPort with 30-of-45 free throw shooting.
Hopson had 24 points and 10 rebounds, Alec Stockton scored 19 while Justin Arana, who suffered right ankle sprain that took him out of play with eight minutes left in the game, and Schonny Winston had 16 each for the FiberXers, who slid to a 2-2 slate.
NorthPort dictated the tempo right from the get-go, engaging Converge in a running game as it poured 38 points in the opening canto to build an early separation.
The Batang Pier aggressively penetrated the driving lane and, in the process, drew 16 fouls from the FiberXers, who milked the foul line with 18-of-26 free throws in the first half.
Jalalon gave NorthPort a 24-point advantage off a trey, 57-33, with 5:14 left in the second period.
The Batang Pier kept their distance to enter the half with a 68-50 lead.
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, 68-50, 100-77, 135-109.