June Mar Fajardo finally won his first Best Player of the Conference award…
…
…
… this season.
This is his tenth BPC all in all.
And while this could have clinched CJ Perez’s MVP dreams, this would also make the MVP race a bit interesting.
Of the five names to win the Philippine Cup BPC, only JMF and Baby Beast had a credible claim. NLEX failed to make it past the quarterfinals and while Terrafirma managed to stretch their San Miguel series with a win, they still ended up playing a few more games than the Beermen and the Barangay Ginebra Kings.
And while history will point out that another Ginebra player in Mark Caguioa not only won a BPC without making any of the three finals of that season (eventually winning the MVP award,) the committee will always take the stars in the finals rather than outside of it. This is why despite Christian Standhardinger’s numbers, it’s within the discretion of the voting group as to whether or not he is worthy of the title.
2023-24 PHILIPPINE CUP STATS
JUNE MAR FAJARDO | SAN MIGUEL BEERMEN
20 GAMES (AS OF PRESSTIME) | 17.4PPG – 14.3RPG – 3.0APG – 0.5SPG – 1.4BPG
CJ PEREZ | SAN MIGUEL BEERMEN
21 GAMES (AS OF PRESSTIME) | 21.3PPG – 6.2RPG – 3.9APG – 1.7SPG – 0.1BPG
CHRISTIAN STANDHARDINGER | BARANGAY GINEBRA KINGS
19 GAMES | 21.3PPG – 10.5RPG – 5.0APG – 0.5SPG – 0.4BPG
ROBERT BOLICK | NLEX ROAD WARRIORS
12 GAMES | 28.3PPG – 5.3RPG – 6.6APG – 0.8SPG – 0.1BPG
STEPHEN HOLT | TERRAFIRMA DYIP
14 GAMES | 21.1PPG – 8.2RPG – 6.3APG – 2.5SPG – 0.0BPG
I see the MVP race as a three-way dance with JMF, CJ, and C-Stan at the forefront. Even if the Beermen lose the Philippine Cup, I think whoever between Fajardo and Perez is destined to win either the first or an unprecedented seventh title. I know the Philippine Cup BPC is better than the Commissioner's Cup BPC, but in that conference, CJ Perez was also the Finals MVP and San Miguel won the 2023-24 Commish Cup. Now I don't know when the Leo Awards will take place, but if it ends with either the Beermen losing or CJ winning the Finals MVP award, then this will be an even playing field.
And while this quandary has happened before with JMF and Chris Ross during the 2016-17 PBA season, Perez is a more well-rounded player than the defensive-minded Ross.
Again, the MVP battle between these two will be interesting, and how their pursuits would matter in the finals will surely be a point to check out.
Congratulations, June Mar Fajardo… and there are no more questions on who the PBA all-time GOAT is, especially if he wins the MVP.