WHAT do reigning seven-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beer and Meralco import Su Braimoh have in common?
This early, they are leading the way in the Best Player of the Conference and Best Import race, respectively, and they are both sidelined with injuries.
Fajardo is setting the pace in the top cager derby with 43.3 average statistical points against two of his rivals — Ginebra’s Christian Standhardinger (42). and Beermen teammate CJ Perez (40.3).
The 6-foot-10 Fajardo normed league-best averages of 11.8 rebounds and 3.0 blocks to back up his 19.3 points, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals over four games.
But with a fractured metacarpal sidelining Fajardo for at least four weeks, his competitors are expected to make their moves in the second half of the season-opening Commissioner’s Cup eliminations.
Standhardinger amassed 19.4 markers and 11.6 boards plus 5.6 assists and 1.2 steals for No. 2 in the early chase followed by Perez, who’s good for 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.0 steals.
Maverick Ahanmisi, who’s making a big impact in his Kings’ debut, is fourth with 37.2 average SP built around 15.8 points. 8.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals, while NorthPort’s Arvin Tolentino, the league’s top local scorer with 22.8 points per game, sits at No. 5 with 35.5.
Rounding out the sixth to 10th spots were Jio Jalalon (33.7), the tournament’s leader in steals (2.5), and his Magnolia backcourt partner Mark Barroca (32. , Season 46 MVP and top assist man (7.3) Scottie Thompson of Ginebra (31.5), Meralco’s Chris Newsome (30.2), Terrafirma’s Javi Gomez de Liano (30.17) and Magnolia’s Paul Lee (30.17).
Braimoh totaled 55.0 SPs before tearing his Achilles Heel, putting him in front of the Best Import race against NorthPort’s Venky Jois (54. and Phoenix’s Jonathan Williams III (53.7).
Tyler Bey of the Hotshots stood at No. 4 with 53. 2, ahead of TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (50.3), the conference’s top gunner with 33.3 points.
The Batang Pier’s energetic big man Cade Flores is showing the way among rookies.
Flores, running 13th in the BPC race, had 29.0 SPs spiked by elite averages of 9.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists plus 11.2 points to pace No. 1 pick Stephen Holt of Terrafirma (25.2), Kenneth Tuffin of Phoenix (24. , the Dyip’s Kemark Carino (21.4) and Fuel Master Ricci Rivero (21.0).
