You know that feeling when the preseason starts and you're just itching to see how the teams are shaping up? Well, let me tell you, Sunday's game gave us plenty to talk about. I've been following basketball long enough to know that preseason scores don't always tell the full story, but sometimes you get performances that make you sit up and take notice. The matchup between the team and Guang Ming College ended 78-59, and while that's a comfortable margin, what really caught my eye were the individual performances that hinted at what we might see when the regular season kicks off.
I've always been a sucker for well-rounded players, the kind who contribute across multiple categories rather than just scoring. That's why Joshua Tolentino's line stood out to me immediately - 15 points, three rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a blocked shot in just under 23 minutes. That's the kind of efficiency I love to see. When a player can impact the game in so many different ways without needing heavy minutes, you know the coaching staff has to be pleased. His five assists particularly impressed me because it shows he's not just looking for his own shot but creating opportunities for others. In today's game, where ball movement is so crucial, having players who can both score and facilitate is golden.
What really makes preseason interesting for me is seeing how different players step up. While Tolentino was doing his thing, Andrey Doria matched his scoring output with 15 points of his own. I've noticed Doria has this smoothness to his game that makes scoring look effortless sometimes. Then there was Dave Ednilag adding 10 points to the cause. When you get multiple players hitting double figures, it takes so much pressure off your primary scorers. I remember watching games where teams become too reliant on one or two players, and it makes their offense predictable. But here we saw balanced scoring, which is exactly what you want to see developing during the preseason.
The final score of 78-59 tells you this was a comprehensive victory, but what the numbers don't show is how the team built this lead. From what I observed, it wasn't just about offensive firepower - the defensive effort was equally impressive. Those two steals and a block from Tolentino might not seem like huge numbers, but they often come at crucial moments that shift momentum. I've always believed that good defense creates easy offense, and when you're holding opponents to 59 points, you're giving yourself plenty of opportunities to run in transition. Guang Ming College struggled to find any rhythm, and honestly, that's as much about the defensive pressure as it is about their own offensive struggles.
What I find fascinating about preseason is how different coaches use these games. Some treat them as extended practice sessions, others want to build winning habits early. The nearly 23 minutes that Tolentino played suggests the coaching staff wanted to give him meaningful run rather than just brief appearances. That's smart in my opinion - you want your key players getting comfortable with game speed without overworking them. I've seen teams that either play their stars too much in preseason and risk fatigue or injury, or teams that barely play them and then wonder why they look rusty when the real games begin. Finding that balance is tricky, but 23 minutes feels just about right.
As someone who's watched countless preseason games over the years, I've learned to look beyond the final score. Sure, winning 78-59 is nice, but what matters more is how you win. The distribution of scoring, the defensive intensity, the ball movement - these are the things that tell you whether a team is building good habits. When I see stat lines like Tolentino's, with contributions across multiple categories, it suggests a player who's engaged on both ends of the floor. That kind of all-around effort tends to be contagious, and before you know it, everyone's buying into both offensive and defensive execution.
I'll be honest - I'm already looking forward to seeing how these players build on this performance. Preseason is like the opening chapters of a book, giving you hints of what's to come without revealing the full story. Games like this make me optimistic about what we might see as the season progresses. The chemistry seems to be developing nicely, and when players understand their roles and execute them effectively, good things tend to happen. That 19-point victory margin isn't just a number - it's a statement that this team means business, even in what some might consider meaningless exhibition games. Personally, I don't believe any game is truly meaningless when you're trying to build something special. Every minute on the court matters, every possession is an opportunity to improve, and from what I saw last Sunday, this team understands that perfectly.
