Their teams may have been eliminated but rookies Bobby Ray Parks of the Blackwater Elite and CJ Perez of Columbian Dyip kept their hold on the top two spots for the race to become the Best Player of the Conference this 2019 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Parks holds a 37.2 Statistical Points average while Perez totes a 36.1 average despite the Elite reaching only the Quarterfinals and the Dyip not even advancing to the playoffs.
Jayson Castro, of the TNT KaTropa which advanced to the Finals against the San Miguel Beermen, clung on to third spot. He is the highest-ranked player belonging to teams who advanced to the Final Four.
Robert Bolick of NorthPort bumped off TNT KaTropa’s RR Pogoy at fifth spot at the close of the semis.
From fifth, Pogoy dropped all the way down to No. 9 with 30.8. At No. 6 was Sean Anthony (32.45), followed by Chris Banchero (31.1), Moala Tautua (30.9), Pogoy and Matthew Wright (29.4) to round out the Magic 10.
Meanwhile, it has turned out to be an interesting battle for Best Import between Terrence Jones of TNT KaTropa and Chris McCullough of SMB.
After the semis, Jones was already on top of the race with 58.2, relegating Justin Brownlee (57.5) down to second, with McCullough is within striking distance at third place at 55.7.
Their matchup in the best-of-seven finale could decide who goes home with the coveted award.
The Best Player of the Conference and the Best Import will be announced before Game Four of the championship series between TNT and SMB on August 11 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Jones and McCullough are both first-round NBA draftees which is a rarity in the local pro league.
The TNT import was drafted 18th overall by Houston in 2012. He spent four years with the Rockets before suiting up for Milwaukee and New Orleans. He reunited with the Rockets early this year.
The SMB reinforcement was selected by Brooklyn at 29th overall in 2015. He saw action for the Nets and later the Washington Wizards.