THE absence of forward Japeth Aguilar of defending champion Ginebra due to an MCL injury enabled other players to step up and provide ample help to naturalized Filipino Justin Brownlee in the team’s bid for a third straight PBA Governors’ Cup title.
Big man Christian Standhardinger is the top King doing that.
The 6-foot-8 Fil-German has emerged as the frontrunner for the Third Conference’s Best Player of the Conference award with 42.8 statistical points built around solid numbers of 22.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists after the eliminations.
“It’s like a combination of two things, right– Japeth went out, and I just knew that I had to step up,” Standhardinger said after Ginebra thrashed NLEX 127-93 last Sunday night in their quarterfinals battle to advance to the semifinals opposite San Miguel Beer.
“Obviously, as a team, we had to step up to compensate. Japeth is a national (team) player. We don’t have to talk about how great Japeth is,” he added.
The Beermen duo of CJ Perez and June Mar Fajardo are running second and third, respectively.
Perez tallied 39.3 SPs (20.7 ppg. 6.7rpg. and 4.4 apg) while Fajardo totaled 37.6 SPs and leading the league in rebounding with an average of 12.8 before going out with an MCL injury.
Two TNT cagers — Calvin Oftana (36.1 SPs) and Roger Pogoy (35.8 SPs) — were in fourth and fifth spots, respectively.
Completing the top 10 are the Kings’ Jamie Malonzo (33.5 SPS), scoring leader Juami Tiongson of Terrafirma with 33.30 SPs and a league-best 25.6 points average, Maverick Ahanmisi of Converge (33.27 SPs), Magnolia’s Calvin Abueva (32.6 SPs), and reigning Rookie of the Year Mikey Williams (32.5 SPs) of the Tropang Giga.
TNT import Rondae Hollis Jefferson is leading the Best Import derby with 59.0 SPs on 31.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2.4 assists, and a block in five games.
Standhardinger, who stands to become the first player to win the plum with two different teams since Abueva (Alaska and Magnolia), said he is simply trying to do whatever it takes for the Kings.
“So, I just try to elevate my game and try to compensate a little bit for him in the areas that I can compensate for, which is not shot blocking,” Standhardinger said in jest. “I couldn’t compensate for his athletic ability, but I try to do everything else.
“Then obviously I got a little bit more minutes because now our rotation is short. It looks great.”
Standhardinger, 33, maintained winning another crown is his main goal.
“But at the end of the day, I’m just happy we’re in the playoffs. You guys know me, it’s all about championships,” he said.
“I truly want to win the championship and now it’s where it’s focused down.”
