Governors’ Cup lauds Fajardo, Hollis-Jefferson
‘It’s just a shame we didn’t make it to the finals. The goal is to get to the finals and win the championship. I guess this serves as a consolation in a way.’
June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson of TNT take the PBA Governors’ Cup top awards Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PBA
San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo bagged the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 49 Governors’ Cup Best Player of the Conference award, hiking his record collection to 11.
Fajardo received the honor on Sunday during Game 4 of the finals series between Barangay Ginebra and TNT at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The 6-foot-10 prized center was the runaway winner with 989 total points he earned from 465 points from his statistics, 476 media votes and 48 player votes.
Fajardo, who lorded over the statistical points with 44.8, bested his closest pursuer Japeth Aguilar of Barangay Ginebra, who had 664 total points.
The eight-time Most Valuable Player posted a league-best 16.3 rebounds per game and also had impressive norms of 21.0 points, 3.1 assists and 1.0 blocks in 21 games played from the eliminations to the semifinals.
Fajardo led San Miguel to the semifinals but fell short against the Gin Kings in six games.
“It’s just a shame we didn’t make it to the finals. The goal is to get to the finals and win the championship. I guess this serves as a consolation in a way,” the 34-year-old Fajardo said.
Scottie Thompson of Ginebra was third with 465 points, followed by Arvin Tolentino of NorthPort (421), Robert Bolick of NLEX (401) and CJ Perez of San Miguel (366).
Meanwhile, TNT reinforcement Rondae Hollis-Jefferson claimed his second Best Import honor after another stellar performance that led the Tropang Giga back to the finals.
Hollis-Jefferson had a total of 1221 to edge out Barangay Ginebra resident import Justin Brownlee (947) for the highly-anticipated award. He had 663 points off statistics, 491 media votes and 67 player votes.
The 29-year-old former National Basketball Association player joined the elite club of PBA reinforcements honored with the award twice, drawing level with the likes of legendary imports Billy Ray Bates, Norman Black, Derrick Brown, Kenny Redfield, Jerald Honeycutt Gabe Freeman and Arizona Reid.
Hollis-Jefferson, who won the same award last year when he led the franchise in dethroning the Kings in six games, averaged 28.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, 6.4 assists, while topping both the steals and block shot departments with 2.9 and 1.9, respectively.
Third on the list was Aaron Fuller of Rain or Shine (590) while San Miguel’s EJ Anosike was fourth with 548 points.