MANILA, Philippines – June Mar Fajardo is a strong candidate for the PBA Player of the Conference title once again.

By the end of the elimination round, the San Miguel big man had set the standard in the competition for the Governors’ Cup, the highest individual accolade of the inaugural season.

With 43.9 points overall heading into the playoffs, Fajardo leads the statistical point standings after winning a similar BPC distinction in the most recent Philippine Cup. With 15.0 rebounds, he presently leads the league in rebounding. He also averages 21.3 points and 2.8 assists.

Robert Bolick of NLEX, Arvin Tolentino of Northport, CJ Perez, a colleague from San Miguel, and the returning Japeth Aguilar of Barangay Ginebra are challenging Fajardo.

Bolick averages 20.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, ranking first in assists with 8.6, and trails only the eighth-time MVP with 38.7 points per game.

In addition to posting 8.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, Tolentino leads the team in scoring with 23.7 points, which helps him finish third with 37.5 rebounds per game. However, the Batang Pier was unable to proceed to the quarterfinals.

The Commissioner’s Cup winner, CJ Perez, is still impressive as he ranks fourth in the PBA standings with an average of 37.0 points per game. Perez’s efforts show off his versatility with 20.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He now plays a major role in the competitive landscape of the league because of his excellent performances.

With 33.4 points per game, Japeth Aguilar, who is playing with newfound vigor for Barangay Ginebra, is currently ranked sixth. As one of the team’s seasoned leaders, Aguilar has been averaging 19.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. This season, his steady efforts have been essential to Ginebra’s success.

Another outstanding student from Barangay Ginebra, Scottie Thompson, comes in second place with 30.3 points. Thompson, who is renowned for his adaptability and clutch plays, is still an essential component of Ginebra’s success. Sedrick Barefield of Blackwater, the only rookie to place in the Top 10, is not far behind Thompson. With 18.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, Barefield has demonstrated his scoring prowess while averaging 29.5 points a game.

Alec Stockton of Converge, who is eighth with 29.1 points per game, completes the remaining top 10. Stephen Holt, a sophomore at Ginebra, comes in second with 28.4 points per game, followed by Chris Newsome of Meralco, who finishes third with 28.1 points.

George King of Blackwater is now in the lead in the PBA Best Import Award competition because of his outstanding play this season. King has distinguished himself from the competition by averaging an outstanding 40.3 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. He has amassed a total of 61.7 points in the Best Import race. King’s chances of winning the coveted trophy were doubted because the Bossing were unable to qualify for the postseason despite his outstanding individual performances.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who has been a standout for his club and leads the league in assists with an average of 6.2 per game, is right behind King. In addition, Hollis-Jefferson has 57.6 points per game, 2.7 steals, and 2.1 blocks, which makes him a strong candidate for the honor. His all-around efforts have put him right behind King in second place.

Jordan Adams of San Miguel, who is averaging 50.1 points per game, and Dequan Jones of NLEX, who has averaged 55.3 points, are two more formidable contenders for the honor. With 47.5 points, Converge’s Jalen Jones is also a contender.

With 47.4 points per game, three-time Best Import Award winner Justin Brownlee, a fan favorite and reliable player for Ginebra, is presently ranked sixth. Aaron Fuller, on the other hand, is eighth in the league with 46.8 points and leads the league in rebounds with an average of 17.0 per game. Three-time winner Allen Durham of Meralco is tied with Fuller for seventh place with 46.8 points.

As the postseason draws near, there are a number of deserving candidates in the running for the Best Import Award.