FAJARDO WINS PHILIPPINE CUP MyPhone BPC ANEW
Never slowing down a bit since winning the PBA Philippine Cup MyPhone Best Player of the Conference award last year, June Mar Fajardo distinguished himself on Wednesday night by becoming the first player in almost two decades to bag the coveted plum for two consecutive years.
The San Miguel Beer star center received his trophy before Game Four of the titular series between his team and Alaska Milk, becoming only the second player to become all-Filipino BPC winner for two straight years after Nelson Asaytono, also a Beerman, in 1997 and 1998.
With his dominant showing from the elimination round through the semifinals, Fajardo easily beat out Calvin Abueva, Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot and Greg Slaughter for the MyPhone BPC plum.
Fajardo, topping the stats and gaining the media and the players votes, amassed 1,141 points as against Abueva’s 889, Santos’ 382, Slaughter’s 378 and Cabagnot’s 362.
Through Game Three of the finals, Fajardo was leading the league in points (18.3), field goal percentage (56.5%), rebounds (12.5) and blocks (2.0) and was second behind Marc Pingris in minutes played (36.6).
The 6-10 Cebuano has sustained his overpowering performance since turning last season to a “Junemar Fajardo show.”
He became the fifth SMB player named Philippine Cup Best Player after Asaytono, Danny Ildefonso (2001), Danny Seigle (2006) and Jay Washington (2011).
Eric Menk is the only other player who has got two BPC plums in the league’s premier tourney, snaring it in 1999 and 2005.
Eleven other players have become BPC for at least two conferences, and these were Ildefonso (five), Mark Caguioa (three), Vergel Meneses (three), Alvin Patrimonio (three), Jerry Codinera (two), Kenneth Duremdes (two), Jayjay Helterbrand (two), Willie Miller (two), Santos (two), Seigle (two) and Washington (two).
Last year was Fajardo’s breakthrough.
During the 2014 Leo Awards, Fajardo was the hands-down choice as MVP, Most Improved Player and made both the Mythical First Team and the All-Defensive Team.
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