Arvin Tolentino didn’t hide that it was tough to see NorthPort absorb its first loss of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup at the hands of a winless team.
But at the same time, the star forward felt that the Batang Pier needed as much to keep themselves grounded after starting out unbeaten across five games.
“Medyo mabigat, actually, kung iisipin mo. Kasi 5-0, tapos natalo ka ng isa sa Phoenix na 0-4, ‘di ba,” he admitted moments after his side yielded to a 114-109 decision against Phoenix on Tuesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
“Siguro, medyo OK na rin na na-experience namin ‘yun ngayon, kasi 5-0 na kami, 5-1 na ngayon. Back to the drawing board na ulit,” he furthered. “At least na-feel namin na hindi laging panalo, alam mo ‘yun?”
It was a tad different NorthPort side that showed up against the Fuel Masters, playing a step slower as compared to their past few games that saw them take down NLEX, Terrafirma, Magnolia, TNT, and Converge, in that order.
Tolentino himself was still the usual and ended up with 23 points and six rebounds, and even tried to lead one last rally late in the game. But the opposition was just too determined not to absorb their fifth loss in a row.
The Season 48 Mythical First Team member admitted that he and the Batang Pier couldn’t react accordingly to the schemes of Coach Jamike Jarin and Co.
“Credit to Phoenix, maganda ‘yung gameplan nila today. We were surprised,” he said. “I guess medyo nasa taas na rin kami, so back down to earth now.”
As tough as the loss was, Tolentino refuses to dwell on the loss, and it’s the very thing that he told the rest of NorthPort in their postgame huddle in the dugout.
He advised the crew to forget about Tuesday’s result the soonest, for they have a big game ahead: Hong Kong Eastern on Friday at the Philsports Arena.
“I told the guys to keep our heads up. Quick turnaround, [because] we have another game on Friday — big game against Eastern,” he said.
It would actually be a battle for the conference leadership as both ball clubs carry identical 5-1 records, but it’s not only that fact alone that makes it a crucial match for Tolentino and the rest of Coach Bonnie Tan’s squad.
For the two-time league champion, it’s a test and a gauge all at the same time for the Batang Pier to better assess where they really are as a team.
“Talagang nakita naman natin ‘yung Eastern, malakas eh,” he opined. “Siguro ‘yun ‘yung magdi-dictate din kung nasaan kami talaga ngayon, dahil five straight wins and then lost one and then going up against Eastern.”
Why a test, you wonder? It’s because NorthPort, as records show, has struggled to stay composed following losses coming off a streak of victories.
Just in the Season 49 Governors’ Cup, the team actually started decently at 2-1 but lost six of its next seven games to finish at 3-7, although they suffered bad luck as well after import Venky Jois fell down with an Achilles injury.
Another instance from not so long ago was their 2024 Philippine Cup campaign. There, the Batang Pier won four straight after losing its first game only to lose five in a row, ultimately missing the quarterfinals with a 5-6 record.
Tolentino, however, believes that they’ve learned and grown from those experiences, and can handle such a situation better now.
“I guess we’re matured enough to know that already,” he said. “Dahil for the past how many conferences nga siguro, three conferences na, simula nung na-draft namin sina Fran, nung rookie year nila, ganun na ‘yung laging nangyayari.
“Before, puro bata eh, siyempre ‘pag natalo ka, talagang dadamdamin mo. Now we’re matured, we experienced that before,” Tolentino added.
“And hopefully, mas OK ‘yung maging resulta this conference.”
