PERHAPS the sight of another player lifting the coveted MVP award during the opening of the PBA’s 46th season last June crushed the heart of San Miguel Beer star June Mar Fajardo.
That’s probably one of the reasons why the 6-foot-10 behemoth persevered in the recent Philippine Cup, leading the Beermen to the Promised Land and regaining his place at the top after winning the Best Player of the Conference plum.
Fajardo now leads the candidates for the MVP award, the accolade that he held for six straight years from 2014 to 2019.
Fully healed from an injury and back to his old, deadly form, Fajardo wound up with 42.6 statistical points built on averages of 18.7 points, a league-best 14.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 blocks in 26 matches in the Philippine Cup, including the seven-game title battle against TNT. He was also named finals MVP.
Teammate CJ Perez is running second in the statistical derby with 37.9 points on averages of 18.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists, while leading the league in steals with 2.5 per game.
Perez also finished runner-up behind Fajardo in the BPC race and the finals MVP selection.
Reigning MVP Scottie Thompson of Ginebra is third with 37.8 SPs (16.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 steals), followed by the Kings’ Japeth Aguilar with 33.1 SPs and a PBA-best 2.5 block shots (17.1 points, 8.0 rebounds), and another Ginebra standout in Christian Standhardinger with 32.8 SPs (14.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists).
Three sophomores also made it to the Top 10 list of MVP contenders.
NorthPort’s Jamie Malonzo is at No. 7 overall behind Batang Pier teammate Robert Bolick, while Calvin Oftana of NLEX ranks 8th.
Malonzo (17.2 points, 10.3 rebounds) amassed 32.60 SPs, while Bolick has 32.63 SPs (18.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists).
Oftana has 32.4 SPs (17.0 points, 7.8 rebounds), while TNT gunner Mikey Williams, last year’s Rookie of the Year, is at No. 9 with 31. 9 sps (18.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists).
Another Tropang Giga in Roger Pogoy, who leads the league in scoring with an 18.9 average, completes the list with 30.9 SPs.
