IF and when it happens, this will not be a dime a dozen but rather a remarkable achievement anew for one of the pro league’s greatest players.
Reigning eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beer is on track for a record-extending 12th Best Player of the Conference award in the PBA Philippine Cup.
The hulking but gentle 6-foot-10 giant emerged as the frontrunner for the coveted plum after the eliminations of the import-less meet.
Fajardo amassed 40.4 statistical points in leading the Beermen to an 8-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals.
He has norms of 17.5 points, a league-best 13.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in his bid to hoist a second BPC trophy in the season after bagging the award during the season-opening Governors’ Cup.
SMB’s failure to reach the playoffs of the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup doomed Fajardo’s chances of going back-to-back, with the honor going to former NorthPort Swiss Army knife Arvin Tolentino.
Fajardo’s teammate, CJ Perez, ranked closely behind with 38.5 SPs built on a league-high 23.4 markers, 4.9 boards, and 4.3 dimes. Perez captured his maiden BPC recognition in last season’s Commissioner’s Cup.
NLEX main man Robert Bolick followed the Beermen duo with 37.6 SPs thanks to his all-around numbers of 18.3 points, 7.2 feeds (No. 1) and 6.7 caroms per game.
Rising big man Zavier Lucero of Magnolia cracked the contenders’ list for the conference’s top award with 37.3 SPs while anchoring the Hotshots’ offense with a team-best average of 18.9 points and 8.0 rebounds.
The former University of the Philippines standout also paces the league in blocks with a 1.5 tally per tiff.
Calvin Oftana of grand slam-seeking TNT has taken the cudgels for the Tropang 5G with the absence of veteran playmaker Jayson Castro with averages 20.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists—good for 35.3 SPs and No. 5 in the race.
Others making it in the top 10 of the BPC derby are Jason Perkins of Phoenix (35.3 SPs), the Converge towers of Justin Arana (34.6 SPs) and top rookie selection Justine Baltazar, (34.6 SPs), Ginebra veteran Japeth Aguilar (34.2 SPs), and NorthPort’s Joshua Munzon (32.3 SPs).
Fajardo, 35, repeatedly said winning accolades is only secondary to lifting championships.
But with his already legendary career having a second wind after a leg injury five years ago, Fajardo might need another cabinet for his laurels.
