JUNE Mar Fajardo vs Japeth Aguilar. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson against Justine Brownlee.
The four individuals strongly contend for the Best Player of the Conference and Best Import honors, respectively, as winners of the two awards will be known in Game 4 of the PBA Governors' Cup finals on Sunday.
Both Fajardo and Hollis-Jefferson lead the statistical points in their respective categories, but Aguilar and Brownlee are also out to make a case for the award by virtue of their respective teams advancing to the title series of the season-opening conference.
A 10-time BPC winner including the last Philippine Cup, the 34-year-old Fajardo consistently led the statistical department and tallied a total of 44.8statistical points by the end of the semifinals where San Miguel was booted out by Aguilar and the rest of the Barangay Ginebra Kings.
The 6-foot-10 Fajardo posted numbers of 21.0 points, a league-best 16.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.0 blocks.
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Aguilar is tied with teammate Scottie Thompson at fifth place with a 32.2sps, but is expected as the one who can give Fajardo a run for his money as the two battled each other out in the middle during the best-of-seven semis.
The 37-year-old Ginebra veteran emerged as the best local player of the Kings in the conference by submitting 18.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists.
Northport's Arvin Tolentino is second behind Fajardo with 37.5sps followed by Robert Bolick of NLEX (35.9sps) at third.
Another Beerman in CJ Perez came at no. 4 with 33.9sps to complete the five-man BPC candidates.
Hollis-Jefferson has also led the Best Import race right from the start and is looking to retain the same award he won last year after guiding the Tropang Giga to the championship opposite Brownlee and the Kings.
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The former NBA player ended up with 57.4sps as he anchored the defending champions' return to the finals, ahead of the second-running Brownlee, who had 50.9sps.
Hollis-Jefferson averaged 28.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.9 blocks, and a league-best 2.9 steals, compared to Brownlee's numbers which read at 28.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 block shots.
EJ Anosike of San Miguel (44.6sps) and Aaron Fuller of Rain or Shine (41.8sps) are the two other imports also in contention for the award.
Statistics comprised 45 percent of the pie, while media votes (30 percent) and players' votes (25 percent) make up the rest of the percentage. (RG)
