Scribes salute PBA Season 43’s best

Jason Perkins of Phoenix leads the All-Rookie team that will be honored during the PBA Press Corps Awards Night on Jan. 21 at Novotel Manila Araneta Center.

The 26-year-old forward, the 2018 Rookie of the Year, will be joined by Jeron Teng, Paul Zamar, Robbie Herndon and Christian Standhardinger in the exclusive team picked by the group of reporters covering the PBA.

Recently retired Rain or Shine guard Chris Tiu will be the recipient of the Breakout Player of the Year, while the triple overtime thriller between Barangay Ginebra and Rain or Shine during the Philippine Cup was the hands-down choice as Game of the Season in the annual affair presented by Cignal TV.

The 33-year-old Tiu thrice broke his career-high last year, scoring a career-best 30 points in a 107-101 win over NLEX in the Governors’ Cup, his final game in the league. He finished the season with averages of 10.7 points, 4.0 assists and 2.4 rebounds.

Meanwhile, the Kings outlasted the Elasto Painters after three OT periods, 100-92, to clinch a playoff berth in the all-Filipino conference. It was just the 12th overtime game in the 43-year history of the league and saw guard LA Tenorio play 56 minutes and 52 seconds—the fourth most minutes played all-time among locals.

The winner of the Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan Coach of the Year will be the highlight of the event first held in 1993.