NORTHPORT’S Stanley Pringle stands in the way between San Miguel Beer big man June Mar Fajardo and his record fifth Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Pringle, the 2015 Rookie of the Year, remained on top of the statistical race with a cumulative average of 35.5 points, ahead of the second-running Fajardo who had assembled 33.1 SPs at the end of the league’s 43rd season.
The reigning four-time MVP led the race for most part of the year, but injury forced him to sit out most part of the season-ending Governor’s Cup. He played just three games in the conference and earned just 10.67 SPs.
Pringle also had a limited stint with eight games because of his stint with the Philippine team but managed to accumulate 34 SPs—the highest among the contenders for the league’s most coveted award.
Barangay Ginebra San Migiel’s Japeth Aguilar remained at third with 32.3, followed by NorthPort’s Sean Anthony with 31.3. Matthew Wright of Phoenix rounded out the top 5 with 30.0.
Also in the race were San Miguel Beer’s Marcio Lassiter (29.80), followed by teammates Arwind Santos (29.77) and Alex Cabagnot (29.74). Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson was at ninth spot with 29.6, while Blackwater’s Paul Erram was at 10th place with 28.5.
Although he trailed Pringle, Fajardo remained a solid contender to win his fifth MVP trophy considering his Best Player of the Conference awards in the Philippine Cup and Commissioner’s Cup.
Phoenix Petroleum forward Jason Perkins, meanwhile, remained the leading contender for the Rookie of the Year award.
Perkins led the field with 32.2 SPs followed by fellow ex-De La Salle Green Archer Jeron Teng, who was a close second with 18.7.
Top draft pick Christian Standhardinger and No. 2 selection Kiefer Ravena did not make the list of top rookie contenders because they lack the required minimum number of games.