Fajardo, Thompson in 1-2 position in MVP race

SAN MIGUEL Beer’s June Mar Fajardo leads the Most Valuable Player (MVP) race but not far behind is Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s do-it-all Scottie Thompson.

A close battle between a six-time Philippine Basketball Association MVP Fajardo who led the Beermen to the Philippine Cup title and the reigning Thompson who was instrumental in the Gin Kings’ domination in the Commissioner’s Cup.

Fajardo garnered 28.9 statistical points (Sps)—front-running numbers built around averages of 18.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in the Philippine Cup and 17.0 points and 10.4 rebounds in Commissioner’s Cup.

Fajardo was named Finals MVP in the all-filipino tournament where he also emerged as the Best Player of the Conference.

Thompson, on the other hand, was only five points behind in second place with 24.9 SPS. He normed 15.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in the Philippine Cup and 11.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists in the Commissioner’s Cup.

San Miguel Beer’s CJ Perez was third with 24.6 SPS followed by Northport’s Robert Bolick with 23.2 at fourth and Jamie Malonzo, also of Ginebra, was fifth with 21.9 SPS.

Rounding out the top 10 are Commissioner’s Cup Finals MVP Christian Standhardinger at sixth with 21.1, Mikey Williams of TNT at seventh with 20.6, Japeth Aguilar of Ginebra at eighth with 20.4, Don Trollano of NLEX at ninth with 20.30 and TNT’S Roger Pogoy at 10th with 20.28 SPS.

TNT Tropang Giga, meanwhile, aims for back-to-back wins when it battles Rain or Shine on Friday in the Governor’s Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

The Tropang Giga are coming off a 123-119 win over Phoenix Super LPG last Wednesday behind Jalen Hudson’s 34 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists that also gave debuting coach Jojo Lastimosa a rousing welcome.

Phoenix and Blackwater collide in a battle of losers in the first game at 3 p.m. Josef Ramos