By REYNALD MAGALLON
June Mar Fajardo regained the top spot in the season Most Valuable Player race even after missing a significant number of games in the Commissioner’s Cup that also dislodged him in the battle conference’s Best Player of the Conference Award.
Thanks to a deep playoff run that saw San Miguel Beer play 10 playoff games to claim the Commissioner’s Cup title, the seven-time MVP managed to reach the minimum number of games played to be considered for the season’s top individual honors.
That allowed Fajardo to take the pole position anew with 40.9 average statistical points after averaging 16.2 points, league-best 12 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.1 steals in the 16 games he suited up for the Beermen.
It was more than the 70 percent requirement number of games played even when the 6-foot-10 big man had to sit out a total of six games in the eliminations due to a hand fracture – the very same reason that disqualified him for the BPC plum.
Fajardo managed to create some separation from the second running Christian Standhardinger who amassed a total of 35.7SPs built on averages 16.5 markers, 9.9 boards and 5.0 assists.
CJ Perez, who took advantage of Fajardo’s absence for SMB in the eliminations to put together a splendid season, came in not too far at third with 35.4. He normed 16.9 points, six rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals while also holding some edge in the race after winning the BPC and Finals MVP plums in the Commissioner’s Cup.
Completing the Top 5 are NorthPort’s Arvin Tolentino and TNT’s Calvin Oftana.
Tolentino, after emerging as the league’s premier scorer with league-best 22.4 points, that also came with 5.7 rebounds 2.4 assists, took the fourth spot with 35.1 SPs while Oftana had 21.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists per game to finish at the fifth spot with 34.1 heading into the Philippine Cup.
Season 46 MVP Scottie Thompson of Ginebra (31 SPs) sat at the sixth spot followed by Meralco’s Chris Newsome (28.5), Jio Jalalon of runner-up Magnolia (28.4), Maverick Ahanmisi (27.60) and Jamie Malonzo (27.58).
