PBA: Fajardo bags record sixth BPC award

by Waylon Galvez

San Miguel Beer center June Mar Fajardo set another record in his young pro career as he bagged his sixth Best Player of the Conference (BPC) award last night in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The 6-foot-10 reigning four-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) bested his SMB teammate Arwind Santos, Japeth Aguilar of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, JP Erram of Blackwater and GlobalPort’s Stanley Pringle for the award backed by Galvalume 55.

Fajardo received a total of 1,279 points from the combined 468 Statistical Points and votes from the media (551), players (110) and PBA Commissioner’s Office (150) to claim the award.

Fajardo, who is only in his seventh PBA season, said he is thankful to his San Miguel teammates.

“Pasalamat ako sa mga teammates ko, kasi kung hindi naman din dahil sa kanila hindi ko makukuha yung ganitong award e,” said the 28-year-old Fajardo, a native of Pinamumgajan, Cebu.

Santos came in second with 670 points, followed by Aguilar’s 589, Pringle’s 406 and Erram with 392.

Fajardo’s latest BPC broke a tie with the previous record of five apiece with his former teammate at SMB and ‘idol’ Danny Ildefonso, although the latter still holds the record of consecutive BPCs.

The 6-foot-6 Ildefonso captured the said BPC award during the 2000 Commissioner’s Cup and Governors’ Cup, and pocketed the same plum in all three conferences during the 2001 Season.

Though the semifinal round of the all-Filipino conference, Fajardo averaged 22.9 points, 12.9 rebounds and 1.8 shot blocks per game.

With the BPC award, Fajardo is now an automatic contender for the coveted MVP award. He is currently tied with ex-pros Ramon Fernandez and Alvin Patrimonio with four each.