Arvin Tolentino was NorthPort's driving force all conference long -- until the semifinals, when everything suddenly fell apart.
With SMC and MVP squads consistently dominating the competition, PBA have longed for balance in the league. The rise of independent teams like Rain or Shine, which reached three straight semifinals, and Converge, positioning itself as a future powerhouse, has injected much-needed excitement.
This conference, another independent team took center stage as NorthPort shocked the league by finishing at the top of the Commissioner's Cup eliminations. A breakout performance from Joshua Munzon and the steady presence of import Kadeem Jack played key roles in their success. But at the heart of their resurgence was Arvin Tolentino.
A reliable scorer and the team's go-to guy, Tolentino was a major factor in NorthPort's strong 9-2 run. He arguably was the best offensive player in this conference with impressive averages from the eliminations through the quarterfinals. He had 23.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists on 49% field goal percentage during that span.
Tolentino also had a knack for drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line, where he averaged 9.2 attempts on 80% shooting. To put it simply, Tolentino was an elite scorer.
His stellar play propelled him to second place among locals in statistical points for the Best Player of the Conference award, trailing only June Mar Fajardo.
But with San Miguel's early exit, the race was wide open, and Tolentino emerged as the leading candidate heading into the semifinals. NorthPort, led by their newfound superstar, had an opportunity to make history by reaching their first-ever PBA Finals. Everything seemed to be falling into place.
Then, just as expectations peaked, Tolentino's performance took a drastic turn. The same player who had torched defenses throughout the season suddenly struggled to find his rhythm. His scoring dipped, his efficiency plummeted, and the aggressive playstyle that had defined his breakout run all but disappeared. With their best player unable to deliver, NorthPort faltered, and their championship hopes unraveled.
Going up against a battle-tested Ginebra squad stacked with talent and playoff experience, NorthPort, despite being the top seed, was never the clear favorite to win the series. However, the way they lost was nothing short of disastrous. They dropped the first three games in humiliating fashion, with an average losing margin of 20.6 points -- a lopsided beatdown that exposed their shortcomings on both ends of the floor.
Beyond the brutal numbers, what was even more alarming was their lack of fight. Facing a well-oiled Ginebra team that executed flawlessly, NorthPort needed to at least match their intensity. Instead, they looked overwhelmed, passive, and uninspired. Their defense was sluggish, allowing Ginebra to dictate the pace with ease, while their offensive execution was riddled with hesitation and poor decision-making.
NorthPort's biggest struggle in the series was the drastic decline in Tolentino's performance. After carrying the team throughout the conference, he suddenly looked like a shadow of himself, averaging just 11.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists on an abysmal 36.7% true shooting.
His signature aggressiveness, which had made him such a lethal scorer, completely disappeared and his free-throw attempts dropped to just 4.3 per game. Even when he got to the line, he converted at a disappointing 53.8% clip.
Despite their struggles, NorthPort managed to avoid a sweep by eking out a hard-fought win in Game 4 to their season alive. Tolentino finally showed flashes of his dominant self, putting up an impressive near triple-double of 20 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists. It was the kind of performance that reminded everyone why he was a frontrunner for Best Player of the Conference award.
However, it proved to be just a brief resurgence. Instead of building on that momentum, NorthPort and Tolentino reverted to their lackluster form in Game 5, bowing out of the series in uninspired fashion -- as he had another dreadful outing of nine points on 15.4% field goal percentage.
Just like that, a once-promising campaign ended in bitter disappointment, leaving fans wondering - what went wrong?
Tolentino's struggles in the semifinals weren't just about missing shots - they were a complete breakdown of the strengths that made him so dominant throughout the conference. One of his biggest weapons was his versatility on offense. He scored at all three levels, operated in isolation, and stretched the floor with his shooting.
But against Ginebra, he looked hesitant, often settling for contested jumpers instead of attacking the rim. His usual confidence in creating his own shot was nowhere to be found, and he struggled to establish his rhythm in NorthPort's offensive sets.
A major factor in his decline was Ginebra's defensive game plan. Unlike most teams that allowed Tolentino space to operate, Ginebra threw multiple defenders at him and forced him into tough positions. The physicality of the series also took a toll - Tolentino had been excellent at drawing fouls throughout the conference, but in the semifinals, he wasn't getting the same calls.
His inability to adjust to the tighter defense resulted in forced shots and inefficient possessions, disrupted NorthPort's offensive flow.
Another glaring issue was his struggles off the ball. During the eliminations, he thrived as both a primary and secondary scoring option, capable of cutting to the basket, spotting up for 3-pointers, and moving well within the team's offensive sets.
Against Ginebra, he often found himself standing on the perimeter, disengaged from the play. Whether it was fatigue, frustration, or simply an adjustment he failed to make, his off-ball movement was stagnant, making it easier for Ginebra to neutralize him.
In the end, Tolentino's struggles were a combination of Ginebra's disciplined defense, his own drop in confidence, and an inability to adapt to the playoff intensity. For a player who had looked unstoppable in the eliminations, the semifinals exposed weaknesses in his game that he'll need to address moving forward.