DOG Japeth Aguilar win the battle this time against June Mar Fajardo?

The Barangay Ginebra big man stands in the way of Fajardo’s bid for a record Best Player of the Conference award, which will be handed out just before Game 4 of the PBA Governors Cup finals between the Kings and TNT Tropang Giga.

The 37-year-old Aguilar won the war against the 34-year-old Fajardo after Ginebra bundled out Saint Michael in a grueling semi-final series that lasted six games.

Aguilar can pull off a double against his close friend and Gilas Pilipinas teammate should he clinch his first-ever BPC award.

The 6-foot-10 Fajardo of course, had the huge advantage over Aguilar as he topped the statistical race among the five candidates, which also included Arvin Tolentino of NorthPort, NLEX’s Robert Bolick, San Miguel teammate CJ Perez, and another Ginebra player in Scottie Thompson.

Fajardo, owner of a record 10 BPC honors, finished with 44.8 statistical points behind impressive numbers of 21.0 points, 3.1 assists, 1.0 blocks, and a league-best 16.3 rebounds.

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That is certainly way ahead of Aguilar, who is tied with Thompson in fifth place with a similar 32.2sps.

The 6-foot-9 Aguilar posted numbers of 18.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in what has been one of his best conferences ever as he stepped up to the plate as the Kings’ sole major force in the frontcourt since the team traded away Christian Standhardinger.

Thompson, one of only two players to win an MVP award in the Fajardo era, is also being mentioned in the conversation following the Kings’ march to the finals, but Aguilar appeared to have the inside track for the award against his Ginebra teammate.

Statistical points account for 45 percent in both the BPC and Best Import races, while the rest goes down to the votes of media (30 percent) and players (25 percent).

PHOTO: Sherwin Vardeleon

A BPC award is one of the few major titles not found in Aguilar’s trophy case as the eight-time PBA champion has been the recipient of Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, a nine-time All-Star, three-time First Mythical Team , two-time Second Mythical Team, and a three-time member of the All-Defensive Team.

Meanwhile, in case Fajardo wins his record 11th PBC honor, he’ll become the first player to bag the conference’s highest individual honor not to play in the finals since Christian Standhardinger last did the trick during the 2019 Governors’ Cup.

PHOTO: Marc Cristino

TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson on the other hand, is favored to win a second Best Import plum at the expense of rival Justin Brownlee of Barangay Ginebra.

The Arizona University alum hasn’t been toppled on top of the statistical race right from the onset and finished with 57.4sps as he guided the Tropang Giga back to the finals for a chance to retain their title.

The former NBA player averaged 28.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 2.9 steals, which is tops in the league.

Hollis-Jefferson also won the award in the 2023 edition of the Governors’ Cup where TNT beat Ginebra in six games for the championship.

Brownlee came in second behind the Jordan team naturalized player with 50.9sps after tallying averages of 28.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 block shots.

The Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player is a three-time recipient of the Best Import honor.

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