Clash of giants: Cebu centers pace best player race

MANILA, Philippines - Cebuano behemoths Junmar Fajardo and Greg Slaughter are locked in a tight, exciting fight for the coveted individual award halfway through the 2015-16 Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup.

Fajardo, the reigning back-to-back MVP, and Slaughter, the 2014 Rookie of the Year winner, are neck-and-neck in the lead in the stats race through the elimination round.

The San Miguel Beer ace center has gained some edge only after a five-point deduction on Slaughter’s numbers for a technical infraction committed in a game.

The two players are practically tied on statistical points earned, with Fajardo having got 502 and Slaughter 503.

Fajardo sports an average of 45.6 points and Slaughter 45.3 upon the application of the deduction on the latter.

With the vast improvement of his game, NLEX trade acquisition Sean Anthony is in third place with 37.4 points.

Globalport’s Stanley Pringle, the 2015 ROY, is at fourth with 37.3, followed by Asi Taulava (35.9), Willy Wilson (35.6), Vic Manuel (33.7), Jayson Castro (33.0), Terrence Romeo (32.9) and Arwind Santos (32.5).

Slaughter, improving by leaps and bounds under coach Tim Cone, leads both the scoring (with 23.5 ppg) and rebounding (15.0 rpg) ladders.

A close second on both categories is Fajardo with his norms of 23.1 points and 14.4 rebounds.

A big advantage by Fajardo is the fact that his team is already seeded in the Final Four. Slaughter and his Ginebra team will still go though a quarters bracket with Star, Globalport and Barako Bull.

Tied in the lead in the assist ladder are Castro and SMB’s Alex Cabagnot with 5.0 a game each.