Rookie of the Week CJ Cansino continues to electrify for the Meralco Bolts, while Reinforcement of the Week George King ends his Blackwater Bossing stint with a bang in the PBA Governors' Cup.
CJ Cansino got rewarded for his stellar play late in the season while George King ended his Blackwater stint on a high.
Cansino and King were named as the Rookie and Reinforcement of the Week respectively for the period of September 17-23 in the ongoing PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup.
The former UP Fighting Maroon was instrumental in the final two games of the Bolts’ elimination round, averaging 18 points, four rebounds, and two assists.
That included a solid 15-point outing in Meralco’s 124-82 demolition of Terrafirma Dyip last Saturday, September 21.
[ALSO READ: PBA: CJ Cansino shines as Meralco dumps Terrafirma to regain winning touch heading to QFs]
The reigning Philippine Cup champions finished second in Group A behind a 7-3 win-loss card, earning a best-of-three quarterfinal showdown with Group B’s no. 3 and Governors' Cup rivals Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
[ALSO READ: Brownlee-Durham IV set as Ginebra, Meralco renew rivalry in PBA Governors’ Cup playoffs]
King, meanwhile, came out swinging for the Bossing in his last two games of the tournament, averaging 56.5 points on top of 12 rebounds and three assists.
His efforts resulted in a pair of victories, but it wasn't enough to take Blackwater to the postseason as the NLEX Road Warriors caught the last playoff ticket.
Armed with NBA experience with the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks, King fired 49 points in the Bossing’s 111-94 thwarting of an import-less San Miguel Beermen.
[ALSO READ: PBA: George King-led Blackwater conquers import-less San Miguel, fans playoff hopes]
The 30-year-old followed that up with an even more-impressive offensive showing, exploding for a franchise-record 64 points in a 139-118 shellacking of the Group A leaders Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
Despite playing just a total of seven games for Blackwater, King expressed his desire to play for Gilas Pilipinas.
[ALSO READ: George King to Gilas? Blackwater import expresses desire for Philippine team call-up]