JUNE Mar Fajardo remains on pace for a record-breaking fifth consecutive MVP award through the quarterfinals of the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The soft-spoken Cebuano giant of San Miguel leads the statistical race with his 29.6 average statistical points (SPs), a full four points clear of his closest pursuer in the tally released by the pro league on Wednesday.
Fajardo won the Best Player of the Conference in the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup with 44.81 SPs and is in contention for a record-setting seventh BPC award this conference, where he has 38.77 SPs and is neck-and-neck against Alaska forward Vic Manuel.
If the 28-year-old wins the award at the end of the season, he will leapfrog legends Ramon Fernandez and Alvin Patrimonio and become the only PBA player to win the MVP five times.
Stanley Pringle is running second in the MVP race with his 25.3 SPs after leading GlobalPort’s surge this year, highlighted by his 50-point performance against Columbian this conference.
Ginebra forward Japeth Aguilar is at third with his 23.6 SPs, followed by the San Miguel pair of Arwind Santos, who is at fourth with his 23.4 SPs, and Alex Cabagnot, who is at fifth with 22.0 SPs.
Completing the top 10 are Sean Anthony of GlobalPort (21.9 SPs), Matthew Wright of Phoenix (21.8 SPs), Marcio Lassiter of San Miguel (21.2 SPs), Manuel of Alaska (20.8 SPs), and Jayson Castro of TNT (20.5 SPs).
Statistics will make up 40 percent of the tabulation for the end-of-season awards, to be handed out at the 2018 Leo Awards. Thirty percent comes from media votes, 25 percent from votes by players, and five percent from the PBA Commissioner’s Office.
Meanwhile, Phoenix bruiser Jason Perkins' 15.10 SPs set the pace in the Rookie of the Year race.
Far behind Perkins are Blackwater forward Raymar Jose, with his 9.94 SPs, and Magnolia swingman Robbie Herndon, with his 9.09 SPs.
San Miguel big man Christian Standhardinger is ineligible for the award after sitting out the all-Filipino conference, while erstwhile pacesetter Kiefer Ravena dropped out of contention after the Fiba-imposed 18-month doping ban.
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