WILL June Mar Fajardo extend his record reign as PBA MVP or will CJ Perez and Christian Standhardinger pull off an upset?
The annual Leo's Awards provide the answer on Sunday when the top performers for Season 48 are honored by the league in a special rite at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Highlight of the affair that serves as part of the opener of Season 49 is the awarding of the MVP trophy, hotly contested by the San Miguel duo of Fajardo and Perez, along with former Ginebra big man Standhardinger.
Winner of a record seven MVP awards, the 6-foot-10 Fajardo again led the race by the end of the season, amassing a total of 42.1 statistical points behind averages of 17.8 points, a league-best 13.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game.
The Cebuano big man was the Best Player of the Conference during the Philippine Cup and led the Beermen to the title of the Commissioner's and a runner-up finish in the all-Filipino conference.
Sponsored content: Standhardinger, set to see action for Terrafirma this season, finished second with 37.8sps while submitting numbers of 19.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, while Perez follows at third place with 37.4sps on strength of averages of 18.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.9 steals. The San Miguel guard was likewise the BPC winner in the Commissioner's Cup.
Meanwhile, guard Stephen Holt, now with Barangay Ginebra, shows the way in the Rookie of the Year honor.
The Fil-Am player picked no. 1 overall by Terrafirma in last year's draft, is way ahead in the competition with 34.1sps as he finished his rookie season 17.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.9 steals.
Those numbers were enough too, for him to land at no.6 in the MVP race as he towed the Dyip to their first ever playoffs stint in eight years during the Philippine Cup.
Northport's Cade Flores was at no.2 with 23.3sps as the Arellano University product led all rookies in rebounding with 7.2 boards to add to his 9.3 points average.
Sponsored content: Apart from the MVP and ROY awards, also to be named are members of two Mythical Team selections, All-Defensive Team , Most Improved Player, and the Samboy Lim Sportsmanship Award. (RG)
