If there’s one thing Arvin Tolentino has proven, it’s that he can score the basketball. He’s a three-level scorer, able to drive hard to the hole, post up on the block, and shoot from the perimeter. And he broke out in PBA Season 48, putting up 21.8 points on 45% shooting from the field.
Tolentino has continued to be a prolific scorer in PBA Season 49 while also adding to his fast-developing game. At this point, in fact, it’s safe to say the former FEU Tamaraw has evolved into a more well-rounded player—one capable of impacting a game in other areas.
All that improvement resulted in Tolentino winning his first-ever Best Player of the Conference Award in the recently concluded PBA Commissioner’s Cup, where he posted per-game averages of 20.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks—all while leading NorthPort to one of its best tournaments ever in franchise history.
But it looks like Tolentino’s evolution from role player at Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to bona fide superstar at NorthPort isn’t done just yet. In fact, the 29-year-old knows exactly what he needs to do to take that next step towards elite-level status.
Getting Others Involved a Priority Now for Arvin Tolentino
On Saturday, Arvin Tolentino showed he’s ready to take another step up in his superstar-in-the-making journey, putting up 19 points, 8 rebounds, and a game-high 12 assists to lead NorthPort to a dominant 97-75 victory over the Terrafirma Dyip for its first win in the 2024–25 PBA Philippine Cup.
The 19 points and 8 rebounds are routine for the Rizal-born scorer. But the 12 assists? They represent a career-high, besting the 11 dimes he recorded against Ginebra in the semis of last conference. They also represent the next evolution of Arvin Tolentino: a super-scorer who can get his teammates involved. The 12 helpers are a good start, but former Gilas player admits this part of his game is a work in progress.
“‘Yun ‘yung isa na wino-work out ko, especially during practice, ‘yung sharing the ball, making sure na maganda read ko sa defense…” Tolentino told reporters after NorthPort’s victory. “I can’t rely on my scoring lang, di ba? Dahil I’m sure ‘yung mga teams iyun ang unang titingnan sa akin.”
Indeed, teams by now should be fully aware of Tolentino’s scoring prowess, more so that he is on pace for a second straight season averaging at least 20 points. The young forward, for his part, knows that the target on his back just got bigger after his and NorthPort’s banner conference las time around. And he will be looking to whip that ball around should teams make him do so.
” I really have to be better on moving the ball, reading the defense,” he added.
He moved that ball well against Terrafirma—and that’s a good start. The challenge is to do the same against the PBA’s elite.
Arvin Tolentino is probably working on that as we speak.
