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    Scottie thrilled to still be in MVP conversation even with healthy Fajardo

    Thompson says it would be special to win back-to-back MVPs
    23 hours ago
    Scottie Thompson receives his first MVP award.
    PHOTO: Marlo Cueto

    SCOTTIE Thompson will consider it special if ever he gets to win the PBA MVP trophy in back-to-back fashion.

    And why is it so?

    A second straight MVP award for the charismatic Barangay Ginebra star meant copping the top individual plum at the expense of June Mar Fajardo, considered as the barometer as far as winning the MVP trophy is concerned.

    Thompson and Fajardo, along with Christian Stanhardinger, are locked in a tight battle for the award, whose winner will be known Sunday during the Annual PBA Leo Awards at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

    Both won championships during Season 47 which they also capped by bagging the Best Player of the Conference award – Fajardo for the Philippine Cup and Thompson in the Commissioner’s Cup.

    Standhardinger also had the Best Player of the Conference award in the Governors’ Cup, but Barangay Ginebra lost to TNT in the finals.

    But the 6-foot-10 Fajardo, winner of the MVP award a record six straight times, led all candidates in the stats department with an average of 42.2 statistical points, compared to the 35.5 points of Thompson.

    That’s why the 30-year-old guard from Digos, Davao del Sur will consider it an exceptional feat if ever he pulls off the rug from under the favored Fajardo.

    How hard is it for Scottie Thompson to win back-to-back PBA MVPs?

    “Masarap sa pakiramdam yung makuha ang back-to-back. Kasi nung dati na nag-MVP ako, hindi healthy si June Mar,” he pointed out.

    “Pero pag andiyan si June Mar at healthy, mahirap makipag-sabayan sa MVP award.”

    Thompson, indeed, won his first-ever MVP award in a season when Fajardo just came back from surgery for the fractured right tibia which he suffered just before the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Although Fajardo did play for the shortened season, he was not fully 100 percent healthy and resulted in San Miguel failing to reach the finals of both the Philippine Cup (semis) and Governors’ Cup (quarterfinals).

    In contrast, Thompson and the Kings didn’t make it deep either during the Philippine Cup playoffs, but the team retained in the Governors’ Cup championship in a campaign that saw Scottie emerge Best Player of the Conference and Finals MVP at the same time.

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    This isn’t the case this time.

    Fajardo helped the Beermen regain the All-Filipino championship in a performance that netted him both the BPC and Finals MVP plums.

    Thompson played a major role in Ginebra beating top seed guest team Bay Area Dragons to win the Commissioner’s Cup title. And while he was adjudged the BPC winner, it was Standhardinger who bagged the Finals MVP.

    “We all know talagang very consistent si June Mar pag healthy siya and automatic double-double ang average niya,” said Thompson of his Gilas Pilipinas teammate.

    “So sa akin lang, malaking bagay yung mapasama ulit (in the MVP race).”

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      But it would really be a big deal for him should Scottie win a second straight MVP title.

      For the record, only four players in PBA history had won the MVP crown two straight seasons or more, namely William "Bogs" Adornado, Alvin Patrimonio, Danny Ildefonso, and Fajardo.

      Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

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      PHOTO: Marlo Cueto
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