Scoring machine Tolentino cops PBA Player of the Week plum

MANILA, Philippines – Arvin Tolentino’s historic night has likely solidified his place among the current crop of stars in the PBA.

But the NorthPort offensive machine acknowledged that there’s more work to be done despite putting up 51 points against Converge, a performance that earned him the nod as the PBA Press Corps-Pilipinas Live Player of the Week for the period of August 27 to September 1.

“Ever since, I have wanted to compete against the best in the PBA, in the Philippines,” Tolentino said. “But I also need to improve, overall, especially right now na marked man na rin ako. So I have to adjust kung ano man ang binibigay na defense ng teams sa akin.”

Tolentino averaged 36.0 points on 56% shooting, which was spiked by a 7-of-16 clip from 3-point range with 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals in the two games the Batang Pier played in the said duration.

Rain or Shine’s Jhonard Clarito was also considered for the weekly honor given by the group of men and women covering the PBA beat after leading the Elasto Painters to two wins that kept them unbeaten and on top of Group B at 4-0.

Though Tolentino and the Batang Pier lost, 109-99, to the Meralco Bolts despite 21 points on 7-of-12 from the field plus seven rebounds and three steals, his scoring exhibition against the FiberXers last Aug. 29 was too good for the scribes to pass up for consideration.

He became the first local player to score 50 since Stanley Pringle’s feat for the then-GlobalPort Batang Pier against his current team Terrafirma Dyip, then carrying the Columbian banner, on June 22, 2018.

Tolentino’s 51 also matches the highest point output by a local since Asi Taulava did it for TNT against Purefoods on May 16, 2004.

During his career evening, Tolentino hit 15 of 27 shots, grabbed seven rebounds, dished out three assists and made all of his 16 free-throw attempts, tying a record that has stood for 35 years.

He equaled the local record for most foul line conversions without a miss held by Alvin Patrimonio on May 5, 1989, against San Miguel Beer in his sophomore season with Purefoods.