YOUNGSTERS Kiefer Ravena and CJ Perez give perennial winner June Mar Fajardo a run for his money in the race for the PBA Governors Cup Best Player of the Conference plum.
Ravena and Perez are currently crowding out Fajardo for the top conference award, which the San Miguel Beer stalwart currently leads.
The five-time league MVP presently tops the BPC race with a total of 38.4 statistical points by the end of the eliminations, including a conference best of 13.6 rebounds per game for the grand slam-seeking Beermen.
But heavily breathing down on his neck are Perez and Ravena, who occupy the no. 2 and 3 spots with 37.2 and 36.1 sps respectively.
However, the failure of Columbian Dyip to advance in the playoffs denied Perez to further vie for the top conference plum, giving the NLEX sophomore a shot of toppling the San Miguel giant from the top of the leaderboard.
The Road Warriors ended up as the top seeded team at the end of the eliminations with an 8-3 (win-loss record) behind the league-leading 8.2 assists per game of Ravena.
NLEX owns a twice-to-beat advantage against no. 8 NorthPort to clinch a semis berth.
San Miguel meanwhile, finished as the no. 5 seeded team and needs to beat Barangay Ginebra twice to advance in the semis.
Perez, last year's top rookie pick, leads the lead in scoring (23.2) and steals (2.5), although the Dyip again fell short of making the playoffs for the third time this season.
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