By REYNALD MAGALLON
Calvin Oftana remains the only player that stands in between Arvin Tolentino and the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Best Player of the Conference award.
Although the NorthPort star remained the favorite to win the top individual honors, Oftana, albeit he still has a lot of catching up to do, has the legitimate chance of challenging Tolentino for the plum.
For one, Oftana still has games to play in the Finals which could further boost his case before the league announced its winner in Game 4 of the TNT-Ginebra clash at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Tolentino, despite NorthPort getting the boot in the semifinals, has solidified his bid after collecting 36.3 statistical points good for the third spot at the end of semifinals. His averages slightly dipped, however, now norming 20.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks.
It was still a historic conference for Tolentino after steering NorthPort to a top seed finish in the elimination – the first in its franchise history – and a semis appearance for the team, also the first in six years.
Keeping the lead in the statistical race were June Mar Fajardo with 42.0 SPs and Robert Bolick with 37.3 SPs but the two were long considered out of contention after both San Miguel and NLEX failed to go deep into the playoffs.
Converge’s Jordan Heading was at the fourth spot with 32.6 SPs followed by Oftana who boasts averages of 18.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists for a 31.9 SPs.
Meantime in the Best Import race, TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is running away with the award after topping the statistical standings with 52.7 SPs built on 28.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.9 steals as well as powering the Tropang Giga back in the finals.
His finals opponent Justin Brownlee was lagging behind with 43.5 SPs while his closest pursuer was NorthPort’s Kadeem Jack who had 49.8 SPs although his team’s semis finish hurt his cause.
