Among the top five candidates for the Best Player of the Conference award in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup, only Arvin Tolentino and Calvin Oftana made it to the semifinals.
The Best Player of the Conference award seems to be a toss-up between Arvin Tolentino and Calvin Oftana.
This after the PBA on Thursday, March 13, released the latest tally in the race for the individual recognition in the Season 49 Commissioner's Cup.
Out of the five candidates, only Tolentino and Oftana led their respective teams to the semifinals. That gives them a strong case for the coveted plum.
Though Tolentino saw his performance dip significantly in the penultimate stage against Ginebra, the NorthPort star still placed third in the list with 36.3 statistical points (SPs).
He averaged 20.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks while being at the forefront of the Batang Pier's resurgence.
Oftana, meanwhile, is at fifth after norming 18.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists for 31.9 SPs.
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San Miguel star June Mar Fajardo continued to lead the derby with 42.0 SPs on the strength of his averages of 20.1 points, a league-high 16.3 rebounds, as well as 3.5 assists and 1.0 blocks in 12 games in the elimination round.
Calvin Oftana reacts during Game 2 of the TNT Tropang Giga's semifinal match against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup last Feb. 28. | Photo (c) RM Chua/One Sports
NLEX sniper Robert Bolick comes in second with his league-high averages in points (23.5 points) and assists (7.8), while also collecting 3.5 rebounds per game for 37.1 SPs.
But, like Fajardo's Beermen, the Road Warriors missed the last bus to the playoffs.
Converge's Jordan Heading is at fourth with his 32.6 SPs.
Oftana, however, would rather put the spotlight on his teammates than the possibility of him gaining the recognition.
"If ever mangyari, blessed, not because kung ano 'iyong na-accomplish ko individually, but as a team. Kasi hindi ko naman makukuha iyon kung wala ang mga kasama ko, ang mga coaches ko. I'm proud of them," said the TNT winger during the Finals press conference last Monday, March 10.
Meanwhile, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson leads the pack in the battle for the Best Import honors.
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The TNT reinforcement amassed 52.7 SPs after delivering an all-around performance with his 28.2-point, 12.4-rebound, 5.0-assist, 1.9-steal and league-high 1.8-block averages, numbers that led the Tropang Giga to the Finals.
Behind him is NorthPort's Kadeem Jack with his 49.8 SP tally (31.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.2 blocks per game), while Rain or Shine's Deon Thompson is running third on his 48.8 SPs.
RHJ's rival, Justin Brownlee of Ginebra, is at fourth after averaging 23.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.0 steals for 43.5 SPs.