June Mar Fajardo leads MVP race

MANILA, Philippines: Despite missing several games during the elimination round due to a wrist injury, San Miguel Beer’s star center June Mar Fajardo leads the Most Valuable Player statistical race at the end of the Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup, which the Beermen won last week.

The 6-foot-10 Fajardo, the league’s only seven-time MVP, posted an average of 40.9 statistical points built around solid per-game norms of 16.2 points and a tournament-best 12.0 rebounds, along with a season-high 2.3 blocks and 2.5 assists to lead the MVP race halfway through the 48th season calendar.

Barangay Ginebra’s hard-banging slotman Christian Standhardinger occupies second spot in the race for the season’s top individual award with 35.7 SPs, while Fajardo’s vastly-improved SMB teammate CJ Perez is within striking distance from the Filipino-German with 35.4.

Standhardinger posted consistent numbers of 16.5 points, 9.9 boards and 5.0 assists in the Commissioner’s Cup.

The athletic Perez zoomed to the top 3 behind his sterling effort in the Commissioner’s Cup that saw him win his first-ever Best Player award as well as the Finals MVP.

The 30-year-old Perez averaged 16.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals in the import-spiced conference.

On the other hand, NorthPort’s sharp shooting forward Arvin Tolentino, is at No. 4 with 35.1 SPs followed by TNT’s Calvin Oftana (21.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists per game) at fifth with 34.1. Tolentino leads the league in scoring with 22.4 points, while adding 5.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per outing.

Season 46 MVP Scottie Thompson of Ginebra sits at sixth spot with 31 SPs, followed by Meralco’s Chris Newsome (28.5) at seventh, Jio Jalalon of runner-up Magnolia (28.4) at eighth, while the Ginebra duo of Maverick Ahanmisi (27.60) and Jamie Malonzo (27.58) round up the top 10.

Meanwhile, the Terrafirma Dyip’s top rookie pick Stephen Holt leads the race for Rookie of the Year honors with 24 SPs.

The Filipino-American combo guard/forward submitted all-around numbers of 12.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

NorthPort’s Cade Flores is at second with 22.4 SPs, followed by Phoenix bog man Ken Tuffin (20.1), Dyip big man Kemark Carino (16.1), Batang Pier giard Fran Yu (15.8) and Blackwater’s Christian David (14.3).

Rounding out the Top 10 are TNT’s Henry Galinato Jr. (13.7), Phoenix’s high-flying Ricci Rivero (13.3), TNT’s Kim Aurin (13.0) and NorthPort’s Brent Paraiso (12.8).