NorthPort Batang Pier star Arvin Tolentino is leaving the PBA and headed to the Korean Basketball League –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Northport officially began the post-Arvin Tolentino era with a crushing defeat at the hands of TNT in the PBA Philippine Cup.
Despite Tolentino’s official departure from the Batang Pier, Joshua Munzon and the squad expressed their happiness for the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup Best Player of the Conference.
READ: PBA: RHJ, Arvin Tolentino win Best Import, Best Player awards
“Arvin deserves to go over there and make his money,” said Munzon after their 94-70 loss to the Tropang 5G at Araneta Coliseum on Friday.
“I think he showed in the last conference how good of a player he is so he definitely deserves to go make his money and we’re happy for him. He’s worked hard over here.”
Just before NorthPort’s matchup with the grand slam-seeking TNT, it was made official that Tolentino would not extend his contract with the Batang Pier and would instead sign with the Seoul SK Knights in the Korean Basketball League (KBL).
View this post on Instagram
Tolentino is coming off a career-best conference in the PBA, where he won the BPC award after averaging 23.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game.
Seoul is fresh off a seven-game finals loss to the Changwon LG Sakers and Filipino import Carl Tamayo in the KBL Finals a few weeks ago.
READ: PBA: A title and MVP part of Arvin Tolentino’s big dream
Tolentino will replace Juan Gomez de Liaño as the SK Knights’ Filipino import for the 2025–26 season.
However, Tolentino isn’t the only key piece gone from the NorthPort lineup.
Happy for Navarro too
‘WE’RE HAPPY FOR OUR GUYS’ 🫡
Northport star Joshua Munzon talks about the departure of Arvin Tolentino from the Batang Pier and the most recent trade that brought William Navarro to Magnolia. @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/bw7lwIS4BB
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) May 30, 2025
Earlier this week, the Batang Pier shipped William Navarro to Magnolia in exchange for Calvin Abueva, Jerrick Balanza, and a second-round pick in the 2026 PBA Draft.
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.
Much like their sentiments with Tolentino, Munzon and the team also support Navarro’s next chapter with the Hotshots.
“It’s tough to lose him. He’s averaging like 20 and 10, so it’s tough to lose William, but we’re happy for him and we’re hoping for his success over there in Magnolia,” said Munzon.
Despite the major lineup changes, NorthPort dropped to a 1-7 record in the all-Filipino conference.
