5th BPC diadem in the bag for Fajardo?

The path already seems clear at this point for San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo on his way to a record-tying fifth Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Best Player of the Conference award. 

Fajardo, the only player in PBA history to win three straight MVP titles, continues to dominate the race for the top individual honor of the Philippine Cup as he expands his lead over his closest rivals for the award.

The 6’10” giant amassed a total of 43.4 statistical points (SPs), owing largely to his averages of 19.4 points, 15.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks at the close of the semifinal round.

The said numbers move the 27-year-old Fajardo closer to matching former teammate Danny Ildefonso for the most number of BPC awards won. Ildefonso, a two-time PBA Most Valuable Player, bagged an unprecedented five straight BPC titles from the 2000 Commissioner’s Cup to the 2001 Governors’ Cup.

Running third and fourth, respectively, are Terrence Romeo of GlobalPort and Calvin Abueva of Alaska. The two, however, are virtually of the BPC picture as their teams have been eliminated early in the quarterfinal phase.

The high-scoring Romeo is actually Fajardo’s closest pursuer with 40.2 SPs, collecting per game averages of 28.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists. Abueva is a far third behind averages of 16.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 block shots.

Without Romeo and Abueva in his way, only Fajardo’s teammates Arwind Santos and Alex Cabagnot and Ginebra’s 6’9” beanpole Japeth Aguilar can give him a chase for the coveted honor.

Santos, a former MVP, is ranked fourth with 31.79 SPs (15.1 ppg., 8.6 rpg, 1.8 apg), while Cabagnot is at no. 5 with 31.76 SPs (16.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.8 asp).

Aguilar occupies the No. 6 slot and is the only Gin King to make it to the Top 10 list. He has an SPs of 31.6 and averages of 15.5 ppg, 9.2 rpg., and 1.8 bpg.

Matthew Wright of Phoenix is the only rookie player making a case for the award as he landed in seventh spot with 30.5 SPs (18.5 ppg., 6.8 rpg., and 3.3 apg).

TnT Katropa’s Jayson Castro, winner of the award in the last Governors Cup, is currently at No. 8 with 29.8 SPs (16.4 ppg., 3.6 rpg., 6.2 apg), while rounding up the Top 10 are Meralco’s Chris Newsome and Marcio Lassiter, another San Miguel player.

Newsome sits behind Castro at ninth spot with 29.7 Sps. (15.9 ppg., 7.9 rpg., 5.4 apg), while Lassiter is at no. 10 with 29.6 SPs (13.4 ppg., 6.1 rpg,, and 3.2 apg).