{"id":211800,"date":"2019-04-28T22:00:01","date_gmt":"2019-04-29T02:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=211800"},"modified":"2019-04-29T23:48:14","modified_gmt":"2019-04-30T03:48:14","slug":"small-town-boy-from-richmond-big-basketball-dreams-in-manila","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/04\/28\/small-town-boy-from-richmond-big-basketball-dreams-in-manila\/","title":{"rendered":"Small town boy from Richmond, big basketball dreams in Manila"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-211800 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/04\/28\/small-town-boy-from-richmond-big-basketball-dreams-in-manila\/small-town-boy-vince-tolentino-vincetolentino_instagram\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"411\" src=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Small-town-boy...-Vince-Tolentino-@vincetolentino_Instagram-e1556503610149.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-211802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Small-town-boy...-Vince-Tolentino-@vincetolentino_Instagram-e1556503610149.jpg 640w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Small-town-boy...-Vince-Tolentino-@vincetolentino_Instagram-e1556503610149-300x193.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-211802'>\n\t\t\t\tVince Tolentino (@vincetolentino\/Instagram)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/04\/28\/small-town-boy-from-richmond-big-basketball-dreams-in-manila\/small-town-boy-vince-tolentino-jim-de-ramos_facebook\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Small-town-boy...-Vince-Tolentino-Jim-De-Ramos_Facebook.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-211803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Small-town-boy...-Vince-Tolentino-Jim-De-Ramos_Facebook.jpg 960w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Small-town-boy...-Vince-Tolentino-Jim-De-Ramos_Facebook-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Small-town-boy...-Vince-Tolentino-Jim-De-Ramos_Facebook-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Small-town-boy...-Vince-Tolentino-Jim-De-Ramos_Facebook-20x13.jpg 20w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-211803'>\n\t\t\t\t(Jim De Ramos\/Facebook)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/04\/28\/small-town-boy-from-richmond-big-basketball-dreams-in-manila\/small-town-boy-vince-tolentino-maharlika-pilipinas-basketball-league\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Small-town-boy...-Vince-Tolentino-Maharlika-Pilipinas-Basketball-League.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-211804\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Small-town-boy...-Vince-Tolentino-Maharlika-Pilipinas-Basketball-League.jpg 640w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Small-town-boy...-Vince-Tolentino-Maharlika-Pilipinas-Basketball-League-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Small-town-boy...-Vince-Tolentino-Maharlika-Pilipinas-Basketball-League-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Small-town-boy...-Vince-Tolentino-Maharlika-Pilipinas-Basketball-League-20x20.jpg 20w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-211804'>\n\t\t\t\t(Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>\u201cI grew up really simple\u201d is how 25 year-old basketball player Vince Tolentino describes his childhood. When you meet this six-foot-four wonder, you\u2019ll be amazed how his kind-hearted, gentle soul shows nothing but energy on the basketball court. As he aims for a professional basketball career in the Philippines, Vince recalls how difficult it was to let go of the simplicity and comfort in Richmond, Vancouver to take a leap of faith by entering the local sports industry.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Love for basketball<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Born in the United States, Vince identifies more as a Canadian after his Filipino parents relocated to a small town called Steveston on the leftmost side of Vancouver. Initially, his parents decided to move abroad because of the chaos of the political scene in Manila.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey were initially in the United States, but overstayed there to get away from the chaos of their home country, which is why I moved to Canada at the age of four,\u201d Vince shares as his parents Noli and Irene established their careers as an accountant and homemaker. He admits, however, that it was \u201ca struggle\u201d for them initially \u201cbecause culture and people are so different\u201d in the Philippines. \u201cIt was tough at first. My parents only stayed within themselves with my uncle living with us being the only real family we had in Vancouver,\u201d Vince explains, but adds, \u201cYet, Dad\u2019s work as an accountant eventually helped he and my mom interact and build relationships with people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And amidst living in a small town with first generation immigrant parents, which was nothing but normal in the highly diverse area, one thing in Vince\u2019s life was always extraordinary &#8211; basketball.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy dad is a huge basketball fan. He played basketball in the Philippines,\u201d Vince shares, \u201cSo, when I was about five years old, he put a ball in my hands and I loved it.\u201d He also adds that being the middle child of two volleyball-loving sisters really pushed him to pursue sports, saying, \u201cMy older sister Stephanie was the first one to get into sports, but she wasn\u2019t able to go to the camps, so she couldn\u2019t pursue it in the end. She\u2019s a huge influence in my career. Because of her, I grew up in a competitive environment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Their upbringing played a huge factor as well. \u201cOne thing that we were never allowed to do as we were growing up were play video games and watch TV,\u201d he recalls, \u201cSo, my siblings and I played random sports to stay active. We resented it at the time, but it helped in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Finding his comfort zone<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Identifying as a Canadian was effortless for Vince because the fishing town of Steveston in Richmond was home to a myriad of cultures. Growing up, there was no discrimination between nationalities, with Vince stating that \u201ceveryone was very accepting\u201d especially because his school catered to athletes, being known for its American football and basketball programs. He states, \u201cThere was a diverse group of people at school, and basketball helped me socialize and be able to get involved with people I wouldn\u2019t normally talk to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While focusing on his studies, Vince\u2019s Dad encouraged him to join competitive leagues at a very young age. RYBL, which stands for Richmond Youth Basketball League, is what he considers \u201cthe first test if you\u2019re good enough to play,\u201d and qualifying as part of the selection team at the age of 12, he was the youngest player in the group during that time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was because of this that I knew I wanted to play basketball for a long time,\u201d he shares; his dad being a major influence. \u201cMy dad is one of the most hardworking people that I know,\u201d Vince smiles, adding, \u201cAnd he taught me if you put in the time, the results will definitely come. He said that I must be willing to make sacrifices.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And sacrifices indeed had to be made before Vince graduated from high school.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDuring my last year of high school, my team was in the finals, but we lost. I was super heartbroken,\u201d he recalls, \u201cIt was my last year, and I was recruited by two schools and one college. I was kind of disappointed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He continues, \u201cOne thing I noticed about my career in Canada is that I was underlooked and felt discriminated against because in the bigger sphere of competitive basketball, I was Asian. It was tough on me. I thought I was good enough to make the provincial team, but I was only offered three schools.\u201d He concludes, \u201cEveryone, at that point, was telling me to go to the Philippines.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That offer to go to the Philippines\u2026 Vince initially refused it to avoid breaking out of the coziness of being surrounded by his loved ones. \u201cI took the offer from one of the smaller schools &#8211; Langara college,\u201d he admits, \u201cBut, I was there for one season and I didn\u2019t like it because I wasn\u2019t getting the minutes that I wanted. I didn\u2019t click with the coach. We didn\u2019t connect well. Overall, I didn\u2019t enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So, after finding every effort to stay home, Vince knew that the risk of going elsewhere was worth taking.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Stepping out of his familiarities<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To 18-year-old Vince, who describes himself as \u201cdefinitely an introvert\u201d then, moving to Manila was not a walk in the park. \u201cI kept asking the Filipinos in Vancouver what the Philippines was like,\u201d he laughs, \u201cI had a despedida a couple of days before I left and they told me what to expect and what to be careful of. They warned me about certain things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He shares, \u201cThe biggest advice they told me is to be careful who I associate with. Connections are big in the Philippines, so always be open-minded and make relationships with people, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And, stepping out was indeed what he had to do during his initial tryout with the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers, which was his first offer. \u201cI did not like it and felt I wasn\u2019t treated well,\u201d he reveals, but that experience as a whole changed his life forever. On the same day, Vince was given a huge call by his family friend, Ito Ramirez, immediately offering Vince a chance to try out with the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles straight from the DLSU practice on the same day. Feeling exhausted after two tryouts for some of the biggest universities in the country in one day, Vince laughs, \u201cI know I played terrible then and I was so tired. I thought my career was done. I told myself, \u2018I\u2019m gonna go back to Canada and find something else to do. I tried my best with basketball, and it didn\u2019t work out.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And as he prepared for his flight the next day, he received a life-changing call once again &#8211; this time, from the manager of Ateneo, giving him another shot. The offer entailed a position on the university\u2019s Team B; Vince having to serve two years of residency, with no guarantees of getting on varsity and only a discounted tuition which is not a full scholarship until he becomes part of the Team A.<\/p>\n<p>Trying to decide whether to hop on the flight back to Canada or stay in the Philippines, Vince attempted to weigh out his options, to no avail of having his heart settled &#8211; until his dad, who accompanied him on the trip, spoke some practical words.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy Dad told me that this was my last shot,\u201d Vince recalls, \u201c\u2018But that I\u2019m not going to lose anything.\u201d And with that, Vince\u2019s parents gave him \u201cone year to test the waters,\u201d convincing himself, \u201cI love basketball way too much to let this tough decision pass. I bet on myself so I could prove myself wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hardships and hurdles<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That \u2018one year\u2019 that Vince\u2019s parents encouraged him to take a chance on ended up being the most difficult year of his life. \u201cThat was one year of not knowing anyone and just adjusting to the culture,\u201d he describes it, emphasizing that \u201cThe hardest part was being away from my family and friends and not really having people I can come back to when I\u2019m in trouble. Nobody was there physically.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Being super close to his family, Vince even confesses calling his parents and siblings multiple times and crying, asking them what he was doing in the Philippines if he \u201chates\u201d it. \u201cThey kept telling me to stick it out a bit more to see what happens,\u201d he adds, \u201cThey said I can\u2019t make my decision this early in my career.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe only thing that kept me going was that I really wanted to play in the UAAP (University of Athletic Association of the Philippines),\u201d says Vince, \u201cI was watching the games and that kept me going.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>By the second year, \u201cit started getting better\u201d he reveals, \u201cI found out that I got picked to play on Team A, but at the same time, I knew there was a lot of work to be done.\u201d He describes his first UAAP game to be played with \u201ca lot of nerves, but a huge relief,\u201d because he\u2019s \u201cnever played in front of that many people and it\u2019s the environment that you\u2019re not able to ever get used to.\u201d Vince smiles, \u201cWhen I finally made my first basket, that was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Yet, despite finally landing a spot on the prestigious roster, Vince unveils that it was more difficult of a feat than he had anticipated. \u201cThe new coach and I didn\u2019t really click, but I held it inside for so long and just accepted it,\u201d describing his second, third, and fourth years on the team as something he \u201chated\u201d because of the lack of opportunity to show the best of his abilities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wanted to move schools. I wanted to go to different places. During that whole time, I did everything extra to get better and getting my mind ready to perform, but I never really got that,\u201d he shares. But, what prevented Vince from giving up, this time, was his own \u201cself-motivation\u201d. \u201cI was always raised to hold myself accountable. I knew what I had to do,\u201d he mentions when talking about focusing on basketball rather than following the crowds who liked to socialize and party, \u201cI wanted to prove people wrong when they say that I will only reach a certain point,\u201d adding, \u201cThere was a group of people who supported and believed in me. Everyone back home followed me throughout my early stages in the Philippines. The Ateneo community knew I wasn\u2019t getting what I deserve as well. I felt like I owed it to all of them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In his words, \u201cMy mind was on basketball even though everything was available to me. I knew I hadn\u2019t achieved anything yet and had to keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Vince\u2019s senior years saw the coming of a new head coach, Tab Baldwin, for Team Ateneo, which he believes \u201csaved his basketball career in the Philippines.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAfter those bench years, I finally got a break with the new head coach and we just clicked,\u201d Vince shares, \u201cWe were on the same wavelength. He understood all about hard work.\u201d He had finally reached his peak. \u201cI had a good off-season as well,\u201d he adds, \u201cI was able to help the team and people started talking. I always had that inside me, but I wasn\u2019t given a chance.\u201d Vince attests becoming co-captain of the team; another huge confidence boost, which got his team through their \u201cmiracle seasons\u201d where they reached the finals twice.<\/p>\n<p>As captain of the team during his fifth year with the Ateneo Blue Eagles, Vince told his teammates one thing &#8211; that they \u201care not going to lose. That is not an option.\u201d Thirteen wins and one loss later during the 80th season of the UAAP, the Ateneo Blue Eagles won the championship trophy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was one of the best feelings in my life,\u201d Vince reminisces, \u201cI haven\u2019t won a championship. Ateneo hasn\u2019t won throughout my entire time in college. I had gone through so much heartache and stress during my time in Ateneo, so to finally just feel that way during the championship was amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And to top off that feeling? The small town boy from Richmond had his entire family, his support system from the beginning, in the audience. \u201cI broke down when I saw my parents,\u201d remembers Vince, \u201cIt proved to me what my Dad once said when I was younger that it will all be worth it. That I can perform. That a championship was in the market for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He also shares, \u201cMy parents were always proud of me and told me that what I was doing in life was not easy, but a lot of people want to be in my position and I have to understand that feeling this way is a privilege.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Finding the purpose of his roots<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cEverything fell into place,\u201d Vince believes after winning the coveted UAAP championship trophy. He got offered to represent the Philippines as he played for the 23 for 23 Gilas Pilipinas. He also made it to the semifinals of his first season in the Philippine Basketball Association Developmental League (PBA D-League) with Marinerong Pilipino, then playing for Go For Gold. Currently, Vince is finishing his first season under Coach Jojo Lastimosa for the Bataan Risers in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).<\/p>\n<p>As for his future plans, Vince knows that \u201cinvesting on himself\u201d is prime. \u201cI learned to make decisions and weigh out my options,\u201d he states.<\/p>\n<p>And surrounded by the glitz and glamor of becoming one step closer to his professional career dreams, which is what he always believed he was \u201cdestined\u201d to pursue, that \u201csimple\u201d Filipino-Canadian knows that his heart will always lie in the humble roots of his home in Richmond.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone back home says they are super proud of me and happy that I\u2019m pursuing my dream,\u201d Vince says with a chuckle, \u201cThey knew that basketball has always been part of my life.\u201d As for his dad, who has been his number one support system, Vince adds, \u201cHe has always been the hardest on me, but also the most appreciative of what I\u2019m accomplishing here in Manila. He\u2019s living his dreams through my success.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Looking up to PBA legend Jimmy Alapag, who is a fellow Filipino who grew up overseas, Vince says that playing in front of Filipino fans is really what toughed him through the struggles of establishing himself. \u201cThey make me want to play and perform because it\u2019s inspiring how these people don\u2019t know who you are, but appreciate you because of what you do,\u201d the Filipino-Canadian concludes, \u201cIt\u2019s just a different feeling and you can\u2019t buy that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As for what he believes makes him stand out amidst the thousands of basketball aspirants in the country? Definitely being raised by two different cultures; Vince says he \u201cgets the best of both worlds\u201d being both Filipino and Canadian. \u201cCanadians are super friendly and kind. Filipinos are very hospitable and welcoming. It just fits,\u201d collecting, \u201cIt has helped with my attitude and discipline. Being in those two environments and learning from them is what completes me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cI grew up really simple\u201d is how 25 year-old basketball player Vince Tolentino describes his childhood. When you meet this &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":211804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,54365],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-211800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-filipino-canadian-in-focus","category-instagram","mauthors-gianna-llanes","mauthors-philippine-canadian-inquirer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=211800"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211800\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":211807,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211800\/revisions\/211807"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/211804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=211800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=211800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=211800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}