Felipe Chavez scored the last six points in regulation, but third generation player Kyle Tolentino stepped up in overtime as they keyed home team Marikina’s hard-earned 104-96 win over ONE4BF in the Ballout Sports Season 2 at the Marikina Sports Center.
Playing with a broken nose and wearing a protective mask, Chavez showed nerves of steel as he pumped in 17 points, including the last six points that helped the Shoelanders in forcing an extra five-minute stretch.
Then, there’s Tolentino.
With his grandfather, multi-titled collegiate coach Ato Tolentino in attendance and his dad, Elvis Tolentino, serving as an active coaching consultant for Marikina, the younger Tolentino lived up to the family legacy by coming up with a big game.
He ended up with 25 points to lead the Shoelanders in picking up their third win in four games of this tournament headed by legendary coach Joe Lipa, who serves as league commissioner with former Barangay Ginebra player Ronald Magtulis serving as head of basketball operations.
Jason Opiso also had another solid game as the veteran from the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League came away with a double-double performance of 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Also winning were Game Changer Novaliches and M7-RPBY.
It was the first win in three games for Game Changer, which outlasted Philippine Navy, 87-86, in another thrilling encounter.
Rojay Santos delivered 18 points, including the dagger three-point basket in the last 1:04 of regulation and gave Game Changer some cushion, 87-83.
M7-RPBY also got back on the winning track following its 98-86 win over winless Antipolo.
