CHRISTIAN Standhardinger gave the credit to his NorthPort team after winning the Gatorade Best Player of the Conference award in the PBA Governors’ Cup, the first major individual honor of his young PBA career.
Standhardinger bested former teammate June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel and Jayson Castro of TNT to win an award right in his first conference since being traded by the Beermen for Mo Tautuaa midway through the Governors’ Cup.
It marked the first time in PBA history that a player traded in mid-conference won the individual award.
For Standhardinger though, the BPC award was a total team effort.
“First of all, I really have to appreciate my teammates,” said Standhardinger when he faced reporters on Wednesday. “They put me in a great position. It was so much fun last conference to play with them and to fight with them.”
“I feel like it’s a team award than it is anything else. I’m thankful to the coach, and my coach at NorthPort, and to my teammates that worked hard. I’m honored."

In 11 games with NorthPort, the 6-8 Fil-German averaged 22.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.4 steals, a major turnaround after he only tallied 3.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in his four games with San Miguel before the trade.
Standhardinger said he only tried to provide whatever his new team needed.
“When I got here, San Miguel got me and I told you guys that this team has good scorers. I have to try to fit in and try to adjust and put myself and become that player who can help that team win the most.
"I did that. I played defense, I tried to rebound, I tried to play my role in San Miguel. I think I did that and I think I’m one little part of which we won those two championships while I was there,” said Standhardinger.
“Now, I have to adjust again. I have to change myself as a player and my role because at NorthPort, we needed a little bit of scoring. I did that and I’m happy that it worked out as much as it did,” said Standhardinger.
The Gilas Pilipinas mainstay said he doesn't need any more motivation to bring success to NorthPort.
“I don’t think a personal award should give you an inspiration to work harder. Every player works as hard as he can to help the team succeed and to help the team succeed and to help his teammates to put himself in a good position for maybe a good contract and get back to the fans from that club,” said Standhardinger.
“I’m honored but it doesn’t change my inspiration because it’s already up there before I got this award,” he added.
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