June Mar Fajardo is on track to win the PBA BPC award for the 13th time. PBA Images (file photo)
By Ivan Saldajeno

QUEZON CITY—Best Player of the Conference award number 13 could be on the way for June Mar Fajardo as he currently leads the PBA Philippine Cup BPC race.

After all the quarterfinal games have been played, the San Miguel center is on top of the statistical points race with 45.4 average SPs.

As always, Fajardo leads the league in rebounding with 15.3 boards per game, but the improved passing game that saw him average 5.1 dimes per night catapulted him further to number 1 in the BPC race.

Fajardo achieved a career breakthrough this conference when he achieved his first two career triple-doubles during the elimination round.

Calvin Abueva, the top scorer so far in the PBA Philippine Cup, is number two in the BPC race with 41.2 SPs, while the Converge duo of Juan Gomez De Liano and Balti Baltazar shared third place with 37.23.

Abueva enjoyed a vintage performance at this conference, leading the way for Titan Ultra with 23.6 points per game, highlighted by scoring sprees that fans had not even seen from him when he was still in the amateur ranks.

Gomez De Liano, on the other hand, quickly introduced himself to the PBA with stellar performances that not just made him the runaway leader so far in the Rookie of the Year race but also put him on track for at least a Mythical First Team selection.

The next best freshman in this conference, Blackwater's Dalph Panopio, is way behind Gomez De Liano with 21.9 SPs.

At the same time, Terrafirma's sixth-round pick JM Bravo is third among rookies with 19.1 SPs, showing why he was arguably the steal of the recent PBA Draft.