UAAP Championship? Check. PBA D-League Championship? Check. Up next, PBA crown.
In just a span of a year, Vince Tolentino has proven that he is a winner, as he was part of the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles squad that won the UAAP Season 80 Men’s Basketball crown, and the Go for Gold Scratchers team that copped the 2018 PBA D-League Foundation Cup title.
But the D-League title is the one that holds a special place in Tolentino’s resume, as he and the majority of the Scratchers had to perform double-duties all conference long since the conference coincided with the ongoing MPBL season.
“It feels really good. A lot of guys in this team are playing in the D-League and the MPBL,” shared the 24-year-old Filipino-Canadian. “We were playing or training twice a day but at the end of it all, it was really worth it.
“PBA D-League champion is in my resume now, it feels really good.”
Just like in his senior year in Ateneo, the 6-foot-4 utility forward proved to be a pivotal piece in Go-for-Gold’s golden run. Tolentino averaged 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, and played beyond his height as he helped defend the big men of the opposing squad.
“It’s hard work. Hard work really pays off. I learned that in Ateneo and I’ll always carry that with me. It’s proven that you can achieve anything if you put in the work,” he reflected.
Tolentino willingly sacrificed his body game in and game out for the Scratchers, as he saw this squad as more than just his teammates. He looked at them as family.
“For us, it wasn’t hard to go to practice. We enjoyed each other’s company.
“We’re all experienced but we haven’t really done anything yet. Had such a great time with these guys. I’ll definitely remember this team,” Tolentino expressed.
But now that his time as an amateur is coming to an end, Tolentino is about to embark on a new journey. Still, the goal is the same.
“Hopefully, next is a PBA championship.
“We’ll see what will happen but that’s the goal,” he quipped.
Having the same goal, the disciplined cager knows the formula that will get him there: Hard work.
