MANILA, Philippines – Sa nalalapit na pagtatapos ng elimination round ng PBA Season 39 Philippine Cup, bumibida si Jason Castro, Junmar Fajardo at LA Tenorio sa scoring, rebounding at assist department ng liga.
Tumatabo ng 20.67 points per game (ppg) ang Talk ‘N Text guard na si Castro. Nakabuntot sa kanya ang one-two punch ng Globalport na sina Jay Washington (20.40 ppg) at Sol Mercado (20.20 ppg).
Napapailaliman din ni Castro sina Japeth Aguilar (19.80 ppg), reigning MVP Arwind Santos (16.90 ppg), Fajardo (15.50 ppg), reigning scoring champ Gary David (15.40 ppg), Joseph Yeo (15.40 ppg), Ginebra rookie Greg Slaughter (15.40 ppg) at Chris Lutz (15.2 ppg) upang mabuo ang Top 10.
Ang sophomore at last season top pick na si Fajardo naman ang tumatrangko sa rebounds na may 17.25 rebounds per game (rpg) habang nasa pangalawa at pangatlong puwesto ang beteranong si Asi Taulava (13 rpg) at Washington (10.7 rpg).
Hindi rin nagpahuli sina Slaughter (10.4 rpg), Santos (10.2 rpg), Gaby Espinas (10.1 rpg), Aguilar (9.5 rpg), Rabeh Al-Hussaini (9 rpg), Marc Pingris (8.7 rpg) at Harvey Carey (8.6 rpg).
Si Tenorio naman ang top playmaker na may 7.5 assists per game (apg) kung saan inungusan niya sina Mike Cortez (6.4 apg), Yeo (5.7 apg), Lutz (5.2 apg), Alex Cabagnot (5.2 apg), Castro (4.8 apg), Chris Ross (4.7 apg), Alapag (4.57 apg), Mark Barroca (4.5 apg) at Mercado (4.3 apg).
Si Ross ang hari ng agawan na may 2.29 steals per game, habang si Aguilar ang tapal king na may 3.8 blocks per game, at si Mac Baracael ang nangunguna sa three-point shooting na 15-of-31.
Kung ngayon igagawad ang Best Player of the Conference award, maaaring mapili sina Fajardo, Aguilar, Santos at Castro dahil sa kanilang magandang nilalaro sa lahat ng departamento.
Kung statistical points lamang ang pag-uusapan, nangunguna si Fajardo na may 17.25 rebounds, 15.5 points, 3.0 blocks, and 1.62 assists; kasunod sina Aguilar 19.8 markers, 9.5 boards, 3.8 blocks at 1.4 dish-outs; Castro na dala ang 20.67 points, 5.67 rebounds, 4.89 assists at 1.0 steal; at Santos bitbit ang 16.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 steals at 1.7 blocks.
Magbabalik aksyon ang PBA sa Sabado kung saan papagitna sa double-header match sa Mall of Asia Arena ang Meralco kontra Air21 na susundan ng Talk n Text laban sa Alaska Milk.