PBA: Arvin Tolentino, Northport find way to keep breathing vs Ginebra

NorthPort Batang Pier Arvin Tolentino in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals against Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings. –PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines—With their backs against the wall, Arvin Tolentino and the Northport Batang Pier found a way to stay alive against Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.

Tolentino and Northport trounced Ginebra, 108-103, in Game 4, finally getting on the board in a best-of-seven series that has been largely one-sided in favor of the Gin Kings.

READ: PBA: Northport, Arvin Tolentino staying positive despite 0-3 hole

Down 0-3 after Sunday, Tolentino had emphasized the need for his team to just :find a way” and they did just that on Wednesday.

“Like what they said, ‘find a way,’ and as a team, we found that way today. It feels good to finally win one but again, it’s just one win. It’s a best-of-seven series and you have to win three more but hopefully we keep playing like this,” said Tolentino.

“From the next game up to the last we really just have to find a way to win. This is one. Three more sounds impossible but nothing’s impossible.

Tolentino finished just a rebound shy of a triple-double with 20 points, 11 assists and nine boards, flaunting what seemed to be his elimination round self.

LIVE: PBA semifinals Game 4: NorthPort vs Ginebra, Rain or Shine vs TNT

Kadeem Jack, who also finished with a monster double-double of 39 points and 15 rebounds, gave Tolentino his flowers for trouncing his three-game slump.

“[He was] phenomenal,” said Jack in an interview with Inquirer Sports.

“I think a lot can be made of off-nights and he just so happened to have three games in a row of that to start this series. I’m glad that he’s back in his rhythm and hopefully, he can keep doing this throughout the rest of the playoffs,” he added.

Tolentino and Northport hope to keep their momentum going in Game 5 of the series on Friday at the same venue.