Ex-UAAP stars Kib Montalbo, Arvin Tolentino sign with MPBL teams

MANILA, Philippines—Former UAAP stars Kib Montalbo and Arvin Tolentino are the latest to take their talents to the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

Montalbo, who won two championships with the De La Salle Green Archers, has been acquired by the Makati Super Crunch, who are coming off a quarterfinals stint in the recently-concluded MPBL Datu Cup.

Montalbo isn’t the lone Green Archer added to the Super Crunch roster with Simon Atkins also joining the squad.

Rounding out Makati’s newest additions are Juneric Baloria and Rino Berame.

“We were able to address our weaknesses from last season following the inclusion of these players,” Makati coach Cholo Villanueva, a former La Salle standout himself, said.

“With Juneric, we were able to get a player who has experience in the playoffs and an additional gunner. With Kib, he gives us the youth and energy. Simon will give us the experience and extra stability at the point guard spot while Berame will definitely provide us the size that we badly needed.”

Tolentino, meanwhile, will be playing for the Batangas City Athletics, who also nabbed ex-pro Jason Melano.

“With Melano and Tolentino, we have players capable of playing both the No. 3 and No. 4 spots,” said Batangas City team executive Jean Alabanz