Fajardo’s chances for BPC plum slim but still a solid pick for MVP

Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar dunks over San Miguel’s Junemar Fajardo and Arwind Santos. INQUIRER PHOTO/ Sherwin Vardeleon

June Mar Fajardo, who was a one-man juggernaut in San Miguel Beer’s duel against Barangay Ginebra, may have seen his chances of winning a second PBA Best Player of the Conference award this season slip away.

But he sure has a solid claim for this year’s Most Valuable Player plum.

Fajardo, an unstoppable force never before seen in the league, was leading the statistical race for the Governors’ Cup BPC trophy at the end of the elimination round.

He accumulated 37.9 SPs after averaging 18.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and two blocks to lead Meralco’s Chris Newsome (33.27) and Barangay Ginebra’s Greg Slaughter (33.09).

But the Beermen’s sorry loss to the Gin Kings—which also ended the Beermen’s season and their Grand Slam hopes along with it—is expected to hurt his chances of winning the BPC race.

The race will include numbers punched in by players in the semifinal round.

Nevertheless, the Cebuano behemoth, who tried to carry the Beermen with equally imposing numbers of 19 points, 22 rebounds five blocks and two assists Wednesday, is still a force to reckon with in the season-ending awards.

Already with three MVP awards tucked under his belt, Fajardo is currently leading this season’s race with 38.4 SPs, ahead of teammate Alex Cabagnot (33.5) and Globalport’s Terrence Romeo (32).

Former MVP Arwind Santos is fourth (31.5) and Talk N Text’s Jason Castro fifth (31.1).

The 6-foot-11 Fajardo holds the distinction of winning three straight MVP plums.