MANILA – San Miguel Beermen center June Mar Fajardo was a frontrunner for the Best Player of the Conference award in the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup after the elimination round.
The six-time PBA MVP awardee made a strong case for a record-extending ninth PBA BPC award after tallying 43 average statistical points (SPs) in 11 games.
The Cebuano big man posted averages of 18.5 points, a league-best 13.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1 steal and 1.6 blocks to get on course for another accolade, his first BPC since the 2019 All-Filipino.
Fajardo’s teammate Jaymar Perez is at second place in the individual award race with 39.5 SPs, while reigning PBA MVP Earl Scottie Thompson of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings is at third with 37.9 SPs.
Perez averaged 17.5 markers, 7.6 boards, 5.9 dimes and 2.5 steals for the Beermen, while Thompson recorded 15.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.3 steals for Ginebra.
Ginebra center Japeth Aguilar is at fourth place in the individual race honors with 34.2 SPs, while Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots guard Jiovani Jalalon is at fifth with 34.1 SPs.
Occupying six to 10th were Ginebra’s Christian Standhardinger (33.3), NorthPort Batang Pier’s Robert Bolick Jr. (32.63) and Jamie Malonzo (32.60), NLEX Road Warriors’ Calvin Oftana (32.1), and TNT Tropang Giga’s Roger Pogoy (31.2).
Meanwhile, Blackwater Bossing neophyte Renato Ular was ahead among the rookies in this conference after tallying 27.2 SPs in 10 games played.
Ular, a second round pick by the Bossing in the previous PBA Draft, has been a revelation in the tournament and a vital cog as he averaged 14.1 points and 8.1 rebounds.
Finishing behind Ular were Converge FiberXers rookie centers Justin Arana (22.1 SPs) and Jeo Ambohot (19.10), NorthPort Batang Pier’s John Michael Calma (19.09) and Phoenix Fuel Masters’ Tyler Tio (18.2)./PN