MANILA — June Mar Fajardo is leading the race for the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Best Player of the Conference (BPC) award after putting up impressive per-game numbers, putting him on track to potentially win his 12th career BPC title.

The 6-foot-10 center has accumulated 44.8 statistical points, thanks to his dominating averages of 19.8 points, a league-leading 17.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, all while guiding the defending champion San Miguel Beermen. This performance comes after the league’s holiday break, as of the latest update.

However, standing in Fajardo’s way as he seeks to cement his place in PBA history are Arvin Tolentino of NorthPort and Robert Bolick of NLEX, both of whom have made strong cases for themselves in the early part of the tournament.

Tolentino and Bolick Challenge Fajardo for BPC Honors

Arvin Tolentino has put together a stellar performance this conference, ranking second with 40.8 statistical points. The NorthPort wingman is enjoying his best season yet, posting a tournament-high 24.7 points per game, 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.1 block shots. His all-around efforts have been a major factor in NorthPort’s strong start to the season, finishing 2024 with a 6-1 record.

At the time of writing, the Batang Pier were engaged in a heated battle with the Barangay Ginebra Kings, and a win would propel them to a 7-1 record and secure a spot in the playoffs.

In third place is Robert Bolick, with 37.6 statistical points. The former San Beda standout is leading the tournament in assists with 7.9 dimes per game and also serves as the primary scorer for NLEX locals with an average of 24.1 points. He has also contributed 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, showing his all-around skill set on both ends of the floor.

Williams, Heading, and Other BPC Contenders Round Out Top Spots

TNT’s Mikey Williams follows in fourth place with 34.3 statistical points. The high-flying shooter is averaging 21.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists, continuing to showcase his offensive prowess and versatility.

In fifth place is rookie Jordan Heading of Converge, with 33 statistical points. The Filipino-Australian is the lone rookie in the BPC race, impressively averaging 17.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game.

Joshua Munzon of NorthPort is in sixth place with 32.9 statistical points. Munzon is also leading the league in steals with an average of 2.4 steals per game, further establishing himself as one of the league’s top defensive players.

Other notable players rounding out the top 10 include Chris Newsome of Meralco (32.6 SPs), Alec Stockton of Converge (31.4 SPs), Barangay Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson (29.5 SPs), and Leonard Santillan of Rain or Shine (27.8 SPs).

As the season progresses, it’s clear that this year’s BPC race will be one of the tightest in recent memory, with multiple players vying for the prestigious individual honor. The battle for supremacy among Fajardo, Tolentino, Bolick, and the rest of the league’s top performers is heating up, and it promises to be a thrilling ride until the end of the conference.

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