San Miguel Beer guard Alex Cabagnot. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
If Alex Cabagnot and Chris Ross would have it their way, they’d rather share the Best Player of between the two of them.
“We want to get co-MVP,” said Ross. “If it’s possible, we should get co-MVP. I don’t know if there’s ever been two teammates that have been tied in the statistical points at one. But it would be cool if we get co-MVP.”
Cabagnot echoed Ross’ sentiments.
“We wish to get co-BPC, but then again I don’t know if it’s possible. I hope it’s possible.”
San Miguel’s star backcourt found themselves in joint first place in the statistical points race with 34.125 SPs the 2017 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.
Cabagnot is averaging 15.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.2 steals. On the other hand, Ross, who has been the bastion on defense for the Beermen, has racked up 13.2 markers, 5.2 boards, and a league-best 8.1 assists and 2.9 steals.
“Chris and I are both doing the same thing for a long time playing together. It’s just an honor to be in this position,” said Cabagnot.
Ross himself admitted that he was caught off guard by his sudden jump from eighth place to the top.
“To jump to number one, it’s cool,” he said. “But I never play for stats and I never play for individual awards. I always play for the team. I’m a team guy, first and foremost. Team always comes first and winning games and eventually, winning a championship is number one on my list.”
Though neck-and-neck for this conference’s coveted individual award, both Ross and Cabagnot are in unison in acknowledging that they’d rather win the bigger prize.
“The main goal is to win a championship,” said Ross. “Like everyone says, when you win, all the individual stuff comes and its just a testament to how good of a conference our team has had. It’s championship first. It’s the main goal and all the other stuff is secondary.”
“We just want to get to the finals, now, God willing, we win. The individual honor will come. Anybody from San Miguel, I think will win it. But for us, championship first,” Cabagnot said.