FAJARDO ON TRACK FOR BACK-TO-BACK PHIL CUP BPC PLUMS; PRINGLE TOP ROOKIE
San Miguel Beer prized player June Mar Fajardo looks well on his way to becoming only the second player to win the PBA Philippine Cup Best Player of the Conference award for two consecutive years.
The 6-foot-10 behemoth has put himself in a good position to retain the coveted award that he won last season after emerging the leader in the statistical points race through the quarterfinal round.
If ever, Fajardo will duplicate the feat done by another San Miguel Beer player Nelson Asaytono in 1997 and 1998.
The three-year pro, the No. 1 pick in the 2012 Rookie Draft who won the season MVP award in his sophomore year, leads all comers with a whopping stats average of 41.2.
Alaska’s Calvin Abueva is at second with 35.8, followed by another Beerman Arwind Santos (33), Barangay Ginebra’s Greg Slaughter (32.8) and “GlobalPort-balik-SMB” Alex Cabagnot (31.7).
Fajardo cashed in on his team’s dominant run in the elims and his own topnotch showing spiked by league-best norms of 18.5 points, 12.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.
Abueva, Slaughter, NLEX ageless warrior Asi Taulava and Meralco energy source Cliff Hodge are the only others averaging double-double numbers.
Through the elims, Slaughter had the most number of double-double games with 10, followed by Fajardo with nine, Taulava with seven and Abueva with six.
Fajardo, however, is easily the most well-rounded.
In the stats race of the Rookie of the Year derby, top draft pick Stanley Pringle paces the field with 29.7 SPs.
He accumulated that number with game averages of 15 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.9 steals.
Talk n Text’s Matt Ganuelas-Rosser is No. 2 with 25.4, followed by Rain or Shine’s Jericho Cruz (19.8), another Texter Kevin Alas (18.5), Alaska’s Chris Banchero (18.46), Barako Bull’s Jake Pascual (18.2), SMB’s Ronald Pascual (17.3). and GlobalPort’s Anthony Semerad (16.1) (SB)
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