Tolentino shines as NorthPort fends off Ginebra’s late rally
Arvin Tolentino rediscovered his scoring touch just in time, delivering a standout performance as NorthPort held off Barangay Ginebra, 108-103, in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals on Wednesday, March 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Batang Pier avoided a sweep and forced a Game 5, though they had to withstand a furious late rally from the Gin Kings to keep their season alive. Ginebra still holds a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Tolentino, who struggled in the first half with just two points, erupted for 18 in the second half to finish with 20. He also contributed across the board with 11 assists, nine rebounds, four steals, and a block in his best game of the series.
Import Kadeem Jack led the charge with a dominant 39-point, 15-rebound performance while also dishing out five dimes. Will Navarro (16), Joshua Munzon (14), and Paolo Taha (11) also provided key contributions.
"I had to step up, or else we’d be out," Tolentino said. "As a team, we found a way to win today. It feels great to win too. But again, it's just one win.” Tolentino said.
“We gotta win more and hopefully continue our good game. From the next game up to the last game, we have to find a way to win. Three more, it seems impossible, but nothing is impossible,” he added.
After a slow start, Tolentino came alive in the third quarter, scoring 14 points—including a clutch three-pointer to close the period—helping NorthPort build an 84-74 lead entering the fourth.
Jack continued to dominate inside, converting an and-one play before Navarro drilled a three-pointer to stretch the lead to 96-88. Jack later extended the advantage to 104-93.
But Ginebra fought back, going on a 7-0 run and capitalizing on NorthPort’s turnovers. Stephen Holt then nailed a crucial three-pointer off an RJ Abarrientos pass, cutting the deficit to 104-103 with 36.8 seconds left.
Jack answered with a fadeaway jumper, and Tolentino sealed the win with two free throws.
All five Ginebra starters scored in double figures, with Brownlee leading the way with 18 points. Troy Rosario added 17, while Holt had 15.
NorthPort will now aim to extend the series again in Game 5, while Ginebra looks to close it out on Friday, March 7.
The Scores :
NORTHPORT 108 – Jack 39, Tolentino 20, Navarro 16, Munzon 14, Taha 11, Nelle 3, Bulanadi 3, Miranda 2, Onwubere 0
GINEBRA 103 – Brownlee 18, Abarrientos 18, Rosario 17, Holt 15, Malonzo 12, Thompson 11, J.Aguilar 10, Ahanmisi 2, Gray 0, Cu 0
QUARTER SCORES: 21-22, 54-50, 84-74, 108-103
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San Miguel Beermen made a statement in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals, against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 107-82, on Wednesday night at the Mall of Asia Arena to even the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
CJ Perez spearheaded the charge with a near-complete performance, tallying 19 points, five rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and a block in almost 35 minutes of action. His energy sparked a game-changing 17-0 run in the fourth quarter that broke the game wide open for the Beermen.
Juami Tiongson added 14 points, while June Mar Fajardo turned in another monster game with 12 markers, a game-high 19 boards, three dimes, two deflections, and a rejection.
San Miguel’s well-balanced offense saw five players score in double figures, including Jericho Cruz and Rodney Brondial with 12 apiece, and Don Trollano who chipped in 11.
Game 5 is set for Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with both powerhouse squads looking to seize control of the series and inch closer to a Finals berth.
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel bounced back in style, securing a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals series with a 100-90 win over the San Miguel Beermen on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
RJ Abarrientos came up huge with a near triple-double performance—24 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists—leading the Gin Kings back on top after dropping Game 2.
Jamie Malonzo added 20 points with four rebounds and two assists, while Japeth Aguilar chipped in 18 markers alongside seven boards, two dimes, three steals, and two blocks in a vintage two-way showing.
Ginebra also got key contributions from Scottie Thompson and Stephen Holt. Thompson tallied 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block, while Holt recorded 10 points, seven boards, and a deflection.
For San Miguel, Don Trollano kept them in the fight with 22 points and three rebounds. JuneMar Fajardo posted a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, along with three dimes and a block.
CJ Perez and Jericho Cruz added 11 points apiece, while Juami Tiongson rounded out the Beermen’s double-digit scorers with 10.
Ginebra edged SMB 23-20 in the opening quarter, but the Beermen fought back strong in the second to take a 50-46 halftime lead. That momentum didn't last, as Ginebra responded with a commanding 25-14 third period to retake control at 71-64, then sealed the win with a 29-26 finish in the final frame.
“I’m just real proud of the guys for steadying themselves,” said head coach Tim Cone. “We figured a couple of things out. I felt we played with a really good tempo, and then RJ played tremendous down the stretch to keep them at bay.”
Game 4 is set for Wednesday, July 2, at 5:00 PM at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters broke through in their best-of-seven semi-finals series in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup, taking Game 3 in dominant fashion with a 107-86 win over TNT Tropang 5G on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Anton Asistio powered the Elasto Painters with a personal playoff-high 24 points off the bench. He also tallied six assists and a rebound in just under 29 minutes of action, going 7-of-9 from the field, 4-of-5 from three-point range, and 2-of-3 from the four-point arc.
Caelan Tiongson added 16 markers, four rebounds, one assist, and a block, while Keith Datu delivered a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double performance to go with two assists and a rejection.
Leonard Santillan contributed 12 points and eight rebounds, while Andrei Caracut chipped in 10 points, four assists, and four steals, helping Rain or Shine build early momentum and keep control through most of the game.
TNT, on the other hand, struggled without RR Pogoy, Jayson Castro, and Rey Nambatac. Calvin Oftana led the Tropa with 16 points and eight rebounds but registered a -22 plus-minus while shooting just 1-of-6 from deep. Simon Enciso and Glenn Khobuntin added 12 points each.