Ray Parks, CJ Perez pace Best Player of the Conference race

MANILA, Philippines — Youth power is in display as rookies Ray Parks of Blackwater and CJ Perez of Columbian Dyip showed the way in the race for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Best Player of the Conference award even as Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee and TNT KaTropa’s Terrence Jones are locked in a tight contest for the Best Import plum.

At the end of the quarterfinal round, Parks carded 37.2 statistical points per game to lead all comers while fellow first-year player Perez averaged 35.1 SPs in a tie with TNT’s veteran Jayson Castro.

Parks, who made his debut in the mid-season tournament, put up averages of 22.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 steals as he helped the Elite land at a franchise best third seeding in the quarters. Equally impressive was Perez, top local scorer with 22.7 ppg, which he complemented with 7.1 rpg, 3.9 apg, and 1.8 spg.

Castro stayed within striking distance with his 14.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.8 spg and a locals-best 6.4 apg.

San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo sat at No. 4 with 33.8 SPs followed by Castro’s teammate RR Pogoy (33.2), NorthPort rookie sensation Robert Bolick (32.46), another Batang Pier Sean Anthony (32.45), Chris Banchero (31.1), NorthPort’s Mo Tautuaa (30.9) and Phoenix Pulse’s Matthew Wright (29.4).

Brownlee, the tournament’s premier scorer with a 34.2 average, amassed 61. 8 SPs for No. 1 among the reinforcements with Jones, the top assistman with 7.4 per game, breathing on his nape with 60.2 SPs. SMB’s Chris McCullough positioned himself at No. 3 with 53.8 SPs.