ALTHOUGH in denial, June Mar Fajardo is poised to win another record-setting 13th PBA Best Player of the Conference award.
Practically immovable from the top, the 36-year-old Fajardo, whose greatness continues to grow by the years, has led the BPC race right from the start to the end as he emerges the heavy favorite to beat out Calvin Abueva, Juan Gomez De Liano, Justine Baltazar, and Zavier Lucero for the individual award.
READ: Here's what TNT needs to do to turn tables on SMB in Game 4
The awarding ceremony will be held right before Game 4 of the Philippine Cup finals between San Miguel and TNT on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The winner is determined through 45 percent of statistical points, 30 percent from media votes, and 25 percent of players’ votes.
Although he slowed down a bit in the latter part of the Beermen’s semis series against Barangay Ginebra Kings, Fajardo was still good enough to end up no. 1 in the statistical points race with a total of 44.3.
The numbers was a slight dip from his previous average of 45.4sps at the end of the quarterfinals, but still above par against the second running-Abueva of Titan Ultra with a 41.2 sps.
As his mindset has always been, Fajardo is negating the notion of winning another BPC title to add to his total league record of 12 including seven in the Philippine Cup.
“Di ko iniisip yun. Sa isip ko, lagi ako walang napanalunan na championships, wala akong napanalunan na awards,” stressed the league’s only nine-time MVP winner," Fajardo said.
“Kaya yun ang nagda-drive sa akin na sana this conference, makakuha ako ng first championship ko, makakuha ako ng first award ko.”
In the finals which San Miguel leads, 2-1, Fajardo is averaging 19.0 points, 20.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocked shots
Gomez De Liano, the sensational freshman guard of the FiberXers, finished third in the race with 37.2sps and the only rookie to contend for the conference’s highest individual honor.
The Season 49 top draft pick Baltazar follows at fourth place also with 37.2sps, while Lucero rounds out the list of candidates at no. 5 with 33.8sps as he leads the league in shot blocks by averaging 2.0 per game.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
