MANILA, PHILIPPINES — San Miguel Beer star center June Mar Fajardo rewrote the PBA history books anew after winning an unprecedented record 11th Best Player of the Conference during the short awarding ceremony prior to Game 4 of the Governors’ Cup Finals on Sunday the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Already owning a hard-to-break eight PBA Most Valuable Player trophies, the 6-foot-10 Fajardo easily cornered the BPC award behind his 989 points value, as he owned a second-best 21.0 points and league-leading 16.3 rebounds during the conference.
Fajardo, who turns 35 this November 17, has been a tower of strength for the Beermen, who fell short of their title aspirations after bowing to the Barangay Ginebra Kings in their semifinal series.
Meanwhile, Ginebra’s high-flying big man Japeth Aguilar fell short of capturing what could have been a first BPC trophy in his career.
The 6-foot-9 Aguilar was thrust to a bigger role since Ginebra dealt veteran big man Christian Standhardinger to Terrafirma, along with Stanley Pringle in the offseason.
Aguilar had 664 points value, thanks to his solid performance of 18.0 points and 6.1 rebounds as he contributed to Ginebra’s return to the Finals opposite TNT.
Scottie Thompson finished third in the BPC balloting with his 465 PV after averaging 13.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.2 steals.
Other BPC contenders include NorthPort forward Arvin Tolentino (421), NLEX’s Robert Bolick (401s), and San Miguel’s CJ Perez (366).
Meanwhile, TNT’s do-it-all Rondae Hollis-Jefferson captured his second Best Import plum after beating Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee.
The left-handed former Brooklyn Nets forward won the top award for reinforcements after amassing 1221 points value.
Brownlee had 947 while Rain or Shine’s Aaron Fuller was a far third with 590.
