Santos, Helterbrand press bid for MVP

MANILA, Philippines – Burger King stalwart Arwind Santos and Barangay Ginebra’s JayJay Helterbrand are expected to surge ahead in the race for this year’s MVP after consistently staying among the top contenders in PBA’s coveted individual plum.

Santos and Helterbrand are running third and fourth, respectively, in the MVP derby but are tipped to overtake Asi Taulava of Coca-Cola and Sta. Lucia’s Kelly Williams for the top two spots after the Whoppers and Kings made it to the Final Four of the season-ending Motolite PBA Fiesta Cup.

The 6-foot-3 Santos earned an average statistical points (SPs) of 30.0, while Helterbrand normed 29.7 SPs.

Incidentally, the former FEU King Tamaraw remains in the lead in the Best Player of the Conference (BPC) race with an average of 32.6 SPs.

Taulava grabbed the No.1 spot from the injured Williams in the MVP derby with 32.14 SPs at the end of the quarterfinal phase, although the 6-foot-9 Coca-Cola slotman and captain of the Powerade Team Pilipinas will no longer improve on his numbers with the ouster of the Tigers in the wildcard stage.

The 6-foot-4, high-flying Williams, who held the top spot going into the playoffs, averaged 32.07 SPs and slid to No. 2.

Talk n Text’s Mac Cardona is in fifth spot with 28.9 SPs but is expected to be dislodged by San Miguel’s Dondon Hontiveros, who is at No. 6 with 28.4 SPs.

Others in the Top 10 are Alaska’s Willie Miller at seventh (28.2 SPs), Tropang Texter Jimmy Alapag at eighth (28.1), Purefoods Kerby Raymundo at ninth (28) and San Miguel’s Jay Washington (27.96).

The Rain or Shine duo of Gabe Norwood and Sol Mercado, meanwhile, are locked in a battle for the Rookie of the Year award.

Norwood is on top with 26.4 SPs as against Mercado’s 23.4.

Crowding out Santos for the BPC award are Taulava (31.7), Hontiveros (28.7), last year’s winner Helterbrand (28) and Jimmy Alapag (27.9).

Anthony Johnson shows the way in the race for the Best Import trophy with 52.2 SPs but the Sta. Lucia reinforcement is expected to yield the lead to Barangay Ginebra’s David Noel with Sta. Lucia out of the Final Four.

Noel has 48.3 SPs followed by Rashad Bell of Talk n Text (48.0), San Miguel’s Gabe Freeman (47.3) and Jai Lewis of Rain or Shine (46.5).