BusinessMirror

PBA scribes install Santos king of defense

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ARWIND SANTOS remains as one of the top defensive players in the Philippine Basketball Associatio­n (PBA) even at 41.

The evergreen big man will be hailed by the PBA Press Corps as Defensive Player of the Year during its 2022 Awards Night at the Novotel Manila Araneta Center on Monday.

Santos, who turned a new leaf just two weeks ago, will be receiving his third Defensive Player of the Year trophy after similarly bagging the same award in 2008 and 2011, respective­ly.

The Northport veteran became only the third player to be bestowed the honor after Chris Jackson and Marc Pingris.

At 41, he’s also the oldest to win the accolade given by the men and women regularly covering the PBA beat.

The award is just the latest to be received by the former University Athletic Associatio­n of the Philippine­s MVP out of Far Eastern University, who’s obviously getting his second wind in his PBA career.

He was earlier named part of Season 46 Mythical First Team and member of the All-defensive team during the Leo Awards.

Now an eighth time All-defensive Team member, Santos will be in the company of some of the league’s best defenders of all time such as Marc Pingris, Jerry Codiñera and Glenn Capacio.

Santos missed being named part of the All-defensive Team the last six seasons after initially being part of the select team seven straight times since turning pro in 2006.

The pride of Pampanga averaged 14.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and a league-best 1.5 blocks per game last season playing for San Miguel, and later with Northport.

The numbers were impressive enough that Santos was in the running for the Best Player of the Conference award during the Governors’ Cup.

In his 16-year pro career, Santos won MVP honor in 2013, is a nine-time champion, twice Finals MVP by the PBA Press Corps, two-time Best Player of the Conference, a 10-time Mythical First Team member, and 11-time All-star.

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