The spotlight will shine brightly on the one who gets to be named the Best Player of the Conference on Sunday when the PBA holds its virtual Awards Night to honor the top performers of the recent Philippine Cup bubble.
The announcement of the BPC which some describes as the “Bubble MVP” caps off the simple ceremonies that starts at 6 p.m. and aired on all platforms of TV5 and One Sports.
Saved for Terrafirma’s CJ Perez whose chances are very remote due to his team’s disappointing run, there’s no clear favorite on the BPC race that is too difficult to call.
Read: Unsatisfied CJ Perez ‘grateful’ for BPC nomination, vows to do better in Season 46
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Stanley Pringle, TNT’s Ray Parks Jr. and RR Pogoy, Phoenix Super LPG’s Matthew Wright and Calvin Abueva have strong cases for the bubble tournament’s top award.
Pringle’s consistent play was among the reasons for Ginebra’s title run in Pampanga, while Parks topped the Statistical Points race despite ending his campaign with a calf strain.
Read: BPC frontrunner Stanley Pringle plays down praise for bubble performance
Pogoy put up big offensive numbers during the early part of the conference and the Finals while Wright and Abueva almost led Phoenix to its first-ever stint in the PBA’s biggest stage with their exceptional performances.
Also to be announced are the winners of the Elite Five, Outstanding Rookie, Most Improved Player and the Samboy Lim Sportsmanship Award.
Like the BPC, there’s also no clear shoo-in for the Elite Five particularly at the backcourt where two guards will comprise the team.
Parks, Pringle, Wright, Pogoy and Perez are among the guards in contention for the Elite Five.
Read: Crowded backcourt in Mythical 5 race
Meralco’s Aaron Black is a strong candidate for the Outstanding Rookie after a solid freshman campaign for the second round pick of the 2019 Draft.
Also nominated were Ginebra’s Arvin Tolentino, Alaska’s Barkley Ebona, Terrafirma’s Roosevelt Adams and Magnolia’s Aris Dionisio.
Contesting the Most Improved plum are Phoenix’s Justin Chua and Jason Perkins, Ginebra’s Prince Caperal, Meralco’s Reynel Hugnatan, NLEX’s Raul Soyud and Rain or Shine’s Javee Mocon while the Sportsmanship Award will be handed to either Abueva, Rain or Shine’s Gabe Norwood, Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson, NLEX’s Kevin Alas and Perez.