Pingris, 2 other San Mig standouts to be feted

Three players from  Grand Slam champion San Mig Super Coffee will be honored by the PBA Press Corps during its 2014 Annual Awards Night on Aug. 21 at Richmond Hotel in Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City.

For the third time in his career, forward Marc Pingris will receive the Defensive Player of the Year award. He also won the plum last year and in 2006.

Pingris, who tied former Shell stopper Chris Jackson for the most number of Defensive Player awards, averaged 9.75 points and 7.44 rebounds last season.

His San Mig teammates Peter June Simon and Mark Barroca, meanwhile, clinched the Quality Minutes and Order of Merit awards, respectively.

Simon averaged 13.52 points, 3.39 assists, and 1.64 assists in a season that saw the Mixers sweep all three titles.

Barroca was the automatic Order of Merit winner for the number of times he was named Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week. He averaged 10.72 points, 3.83 rebounds, and 2.68 assists.

Also to be honored during the annual rite sponsored by PBA, Alaska, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, Barako Bull, Blackwater Sports, Globalport, Kia Motors, Meralco, NLEX, Rain or Shine, San Mig Super Coffee, San Miguel Beer and Talk ‘N Text are two other players who made a huge impact last season.

Air21’s Asi Taulava will receive the Bogs Adornado Comeback Player of the Year award, with Jayson Castro of Talk ‘N Text to be honored as Scoring Champion.

Taulava, the oldest player in the league at 41, showed he can still be a dominant force inside by averaging 14.75 points and 12.38 rebounds.

Castro, meanwhile, averaged a league-best 16.78 points last season.