LA Tenorio, Jayson Castro, Arwind Santos fighting for MVP trophy

Thursday, October 17, 2013

LA Tenorio, Jayson Castro, Arwind Santos fighting for MVP trophy

The race for the 2013 PBA Most Valuable Player is down to three men with Talk ‘N Text guard Jayson Castro, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel sentinel LA Tenorio, and Petron Blaze forward Arwind Santos disputing the award.

The winner of the league’s highest honor will be known on Friday in the Leo Awards set at 7 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena, before Game Four of the PLDT Telpad Governors’ Cup finals series between Petron and San Mig Coffee.

The three men are the official candidates for the trophy by virtue of winning Best Player of the Conference in each of the PBA’s three tournaments this year.

Castro won the top honor in the Philippine Cup on his way to leading the Tropang Texters to their third straight title in the all-Filipino conference. The fleet-footed guard also helped Talk ‘N Text to the semifinals of the Commissioner’s Cup, the only MVP candidate to appear in more than one final four series this season.

Tenorio was named Best Player of the Conference in the Commissioner’s Cup after carrying the Gin Kings to a finals appearance despite an injury to backcourt partner Mark Caguioa. Tenorio was also a top candidate for BPC in the Governors’ Cup, but his campaign was cut short after Ginebra failed to make it past the quarterfinals of the tournament.

The award instead went to Santos, whose Boosters squad is still in the thick of a finals battle with the Mixers for the Governors’ Cup crown. He has been a consistent performer all season long despite disappointing finishes for Petron in the first two conferences, where the Boosters failed to make it past the quarterfinals stages.

Apart from statistics, the MVP will also be determined by player votes, media votes, and votes from a panel from the PBA.

The Rookie of the Year Award is also in dispute, with second overall pick Calvin Abueva of Alaska trying to stave off a late challenge from top selection June Mar Fajardo of Petron. Abueva has been the leader for the award all season after leading the Aces to the Commissioner’s Cup title, but Fajardo has come on strong with consistent performance in the Governors’ Cup.

Members of the PBA’s First and Second Mythical teams will also be awarded, along with the league’s All-Defensive Team, the Most Improved Player, and the Sportsmanship award.