CASTRO, FAJARDO, TENORIO BANNER PHIL CUP STATS CHAMPS
With the PBA Philippine Cup Finals winding to a close, Talk n Text’s Jason Castro, Petron’s June Mar Fajardo and Ginebra’s LA Tenorio are sure to be the Scoring King, Rebounding Champ and Mr. Assist Man, respectively, in the season-opening all-Filipino tourney.
The remaining games in the Rain or Shine-San Mig Coffee finale aren’t likely to put a dent on the overall individual stats leader boards since the players of both finalists are all way behind the front runners.
Castro, the deposed Philippine Cup Best Player of the Conference, narrowly beat GlobalPort’s Jay Washington for the scoring title with the former averaging 19.29 points and the latter norming 19.17 points.
Another GlobalPort player Sol Mercado, set to debut with San Miguel Beer next conference, was third with 18.93 points per game, followed by Gary David (18.33), Arwind Santos (17.14), Japeth Aguilar (17.13), Fajardo (16.39), KG Canaleta (15.59), Greg Slaughter (15.43) and Sonny Thoss (15.41) to round out the Top 10.
Fajardo (14.889) topped ageless warrior Asi Taulava (14.357) in a close contest for the top rebounding honors while Santos (10.667) and Slaughter (10.087) distinguished themselves as the two other players submitting double-double averages in the tourney.
Others on top in the rebounding department were Washington (9.917), Gabby Espinas (9.412), Aguilar (9.044), Thoss (8.941) and Reynel Hugnatan (8.357).
Through the semis, San Mig Coffee’s Marc Pingris was running ninth with 8.696 rebounds per game.
Taulava (4.071) emerged No. 1 on offensive boards, followed by Dorian Pena (3.8), Fajardo (3.778) and Calvin Abueva (3.133).
Playmaking remained Tenorio’s domain.
The Ginebra lead point guard, the assists king last season, extended his reign in the Philippine Cup, dishing off 6.478 a game.
Mike Cortez (6.4) and Joseph Yeo (6.357) were close second and third, then came Alex Cabagnot (5.688), Mercado (5.071), Denok Miranda (4.833), Castro (4.706) and Chris Lutz (4.550). San Mig’s Mark Barroca (4.458) was at ninth before the Finals.
Barroca looks unshakeable at No. 1 on steals with 2.318 a game while Aguilar beat all comers on blocks with his 2.905 an outing.
Chris Ross (1.667), Tenorio (1.391), Bonbon Custodio (1.357) and Justin Melton (1.294) were runners-up on steals while Fajardo (2.556), Danny Ildefonso (1.6), Slaughter (1.522) and Santos (1.429) provided Aguilar some competition on blocks.
Ranidel de Ocampo, a power forward with a silky shooting touch, was No. 1 both on three-point shot average and three-point shooting percentage.
He made 2.43 a game, topping Canaleta (2.35), Jayvee Casio (2.24), Jeff Chan (2.21), Gary David (2.07). Percentage-wise, De Ocampo was the best at 41.46 percent, followed by Mac Baracael (41.41), Castro (40.58), Chan (40.00), John Wilson (38.89), David (37.35), Mick Pennisi (35.71), Cabagnot (35.53), Casio (35.19) and Marcio Lassiter (34.82).
Jimmy Alapag was perfect from the stripe in the tourney, making 37 of 37. His closest rivals were Mark Macapagal (34 of 39), Larry Fonacier (32 of 37), Castro (92 of 107), and Washington (52 of 62). (SB)
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