AFTER a long wait, CJ Perez is finally a PBA Best Player of the Conference winner.
The 30-year-old wingman bagged his first BPC Award as he won the highest individual honor of the Commissioner's Cup in runaway fashion on Friday night before a huge crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Perez accumulated a total of 1,055 points by topping the media (505) and players (86) votes in besting runner up Christian Standhardinger of Barangay Ginebra.
Standhardinger topped the statistical department by a close margin against Perez (466-464), but placed second in both the media (266) and players (45) votes, respectively.
The no. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, Perez had been a perennial contender for the award, but always ended up on the losing end after finishing second to teammate June Mar Fajardo in last year's Philippine Cup, fourth in the Commissioner's Cup behind winner Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo and Robert Bolick, and third in the Governors' Cup after Standhardinger and Roger Pogoy.
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He became the eighth player in San Miguel franchise history to emerge as BPC winner after the legendary Allan Caidic, Nelson Asaytono, Danny Seigle, Danny Ildefonso, Jay Washington, Arwind Santos, and June Mar Fajardo.
Also in contention for the BPC title were Arvin Tolentino of Northport, who finished at third with 559 points, followed by TNT's Calvin Oftana (472) and Scottie Thompson of Barangay Ginebra (446).
Meanwhile, Jonathan Williams of Phoenix emerged as the ArenaPlus Best Import winner by topping Magnolia's Tyler Bey and Bennie Boatwright of San Miguel.
The hardworking 6-foot-9 Williams, who guided the Fuel Masters all the way to the semifinals, topped the race with 1,017 points by emerging no. 1 in media votes (424), second in statistics (554), and third in players' votes (39).
He became the first import to win the award despite Phoenix not reaching the finals after Arinze Onuaku of Meralco in the 2016 edition of the Commissioner's Cup.
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The former NBA player was also the first import in Phoenix franchise history to bag the honor.
Bey came in second with 908 points by garnering the most votes among players (76), second in media votes, and a close third to Williams in statistics (553).
Boatwright, a replacement for Ivan Aska late in the elimination round, was no. 1 in terms of statistics (659), but only placed second in players' votes (63) and third in media votes (156).
Tony Bishop of Barangay Ginebra brought up the rear with 506 points. (RG)
