By Nelson Beltran

MANILA, Philippines - Burger King forward Arwind Santos emerged as early top contender for the Best Player award in the Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference by figuring prominently in most of the stats departments in the initial stage of the season-ending tourney.

Santos led all local players in scoring, placed second in blocks and was No. 6 in rebounds in the first four weeks of action in the tourney.

Another BK stalwart Gary David, Philippine Cup Best Player awardee Willie Miller, Talk n Text’s Jimmy Alapag, Ginebra’s Jayjay Helterbrand, Coca-Cola’s Asi Taulava and Purefoods’ Kerby Raymundo and James Yap were among the other players who had sterling numbers in the initial games before the league break.

In the final week before the break, Ginebra’s Ronald Tubid won the Accel-Motolite Best Player of the Week honors on the strength of his 29-point showing in their victory over Barako Bull in Panabo, Davao del Norte Saturday.

Santos was the best in the early goings of the tourney thus far as he normed 20.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.4 blocks and 0.4 steal in seven games.

David was the only other local player who had breached the 20-point mark in scoring, putting in 20.4 a game while also averaging 2.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists.

Ginebra’s Sunday Salvacion was third in scoring with an average of 19.3 points but he was able to play only their first three games as he suffered a strained calf muscle.

Rounding up the top 10 scorers were Miller (17.7), Alapag (17.3), Yap (16.3), Helterbrand (16.29), PJ Simon (16.0), Taulava (15.8) and Raymundo (15.33).

Santos, Taulava and Raymundo were the only three players in the top 10 in both scoring and rebounding.

Taulava was tops in rebounds with 12.6 a game, followed by Barako Bull’s Gabby Espinas (9.8), Sta. Lucia’s Kelly Williams (9.0), Rain or Shine’s Gabe Norwood (8.8), Raymundo (8.1), Santos (8.1), SMB’s Dorian Peña (7.7), Alaska’s Tony dela Cruz (7.5), TnT’s Ranidel de Ocampo (7.2) and Rain or Shine’s JayR Reyes (7.0).

Alapag (7.0), Alex Cabagnot (6.0) and Denok Miranda (5.7) were the top playmakers, Roger Yap (1.5), Topex Robinson (1.5) and Cyrus Baguio (1.4) were best in steals and Marlou Aquino (3.6), Santos (1.4) and Billy Mamaril (1.25) were the leading shot-blockers.


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