The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Robert Andaya
Every cloud has a silver lining, and NorthPort Batang Pier found one when its top player, Arvin Tolentino, claimed his first-ever Best Player of the Conference (BPC) award in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Tolentino, the heart and soul of the Batang Pier’s campaign in the import-flavored conference, earned a total of 1,072 votes: 454 from statistic points, 564 from media votes, and 54 from player votes to win the coveted individual award presented by Pocari Sweat.
The 6-foot-5 forward from Angono, Rizal, who was selected as the No. 10 overall pick by Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the 2019 PBA draft, won over Calvin Oftana of TNT Tropang Giga, who finished with 777 total votes (399 statistic, 280 media, and 98 player votes), and 11-time BPC winner June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beermen, who had 600 votes (525 statistic, 45 media, and 30 player votes).
Completing the Top five list were Robert Bolick of NLEX with 540 votes (464 statistic, 14 media, 62 player votes) and Jordan Heading of Converge FiberXers with419 votes (408 statistic, 7 media, 4 player votes).
“Mataas akong mangarap and I really want to be the best. And to be the best, ikaw yung pinaka-worthy,” said Tolentino, who cut short his family vacation in Boracay to personally receive his breakthrough BPC plum.
“Siyempre babalik ako (in Manila). Best Player of the Conference, e. So I have to be there,” added Tolentino, who became only the second Northport to win the award after Christian Standhardinger in the 2019 Governors Cup.,
Actually, Tolentino finished third in statistical points with 454 behind Fajardo (525) and Bolick (464) and third in the players votes with 54 points behind Oftana (98) and Bolick (62).
But the 29-year-old player from San Beda and Ateneo received the bulk of the media votes with 564, way ahead of Oftana at second with 230.
Sharing the limelight with Tolentino was Rondae Hollis-Jefferson of TNT Tropang Giga, who ran away with his third Best Import of the Conference award.
He tied Justin Brownlee (Barangay Ginebra) and former Meralco Bolts import Allen Durham for the most awards in PBA history.
The 30-year-old forward from Chester, Pennsylvania, who previously played in the NBA, he amassed 1,280 total votes, with 615 coming from statistical points, 532 from media, and 133 from player votes.
Kadeem Jack of NorthPort Batang Pier placed second with 825 votes (581 statistics, 230 media, 14 player votes) while J Brownlee took third place with 670 votes (508 statistics, 66 media, 96 player votes).
Deon Thompson of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters was fourth overall with 633 votes (546 statistic, 82 media, 5 player votes)
The awarding ceremony took place before Game 4 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals between Barangay Ginebra and TNT at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.