Arwind Santos is 2013 PBA MVP, Abueva Rookie of the Year

Arwind Santos (Petron) – PBA 2013 Most Valuable Player. Presented by PBA Chairman Robert Non and PBA Commissioner Chito Salud

MANILA, Philippines — Petron Blaze’s Arwind Santos has bagged his first ever Most Valuable Player plum in the PBA since entering the league in 2006.

The 32-year-old forward from Pampanga edged Ginebra star guard LA Tenorio by just 21 points in one of the closest races for the MVP award.

Santos got a huge boost from the total statisical points and media votes for a total of 2840 points, as Tenorio got the nod of the players and the PBA for 2819.

All of the awards, which were given in the 2013 PBA Leo Awards ahead of the Governors’ Cup finals between Petron and San Mig Coffee on Friday, were based on SPs, votes from players, the media and the PBA office.

Talk N’ Text Jayson Castro, meanwhile, was a distant third in the MVP debry as he garnered just 1682 points.

Santos, Tenorio, Castro all made it to the Mythical First Team along with Talk N’ Text’s Ranidel De Ocampo and Alaska’s Calvin Abueva.

Abueva, meanwhile, was awarded as this season’s Rookie of the Year, edging Petron Blaze’s Junmar Fajardo.

Fajardo also entered the second mythical team along with teammate Alex Cabagnot, Alaska’s Sonny Thoss and Cyrus Baguio, San Mig Coffee’s Marc Pingris.

Pingris, Thoss, Santos, Petron Blaze’s Marcio Lassiter, Rain or Shine’s Gabe Norwood, meanwhile, completed the all-defensive five.

Air21’s sweetshooting forward Niño Cañaleta is this season’s Most Improved Player, while the sportsmanship award went to Alaska’s JVee Casio.