In a clear sign of the arrival of new stars in the local pro league, top rookies Bobby Ray Parks of Blackwater and CJ Perez of Columbian Dyip emerged as the leaders in the stats race through the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals.
There are also the other youngsters in RR Pogoy, Robert Bolick, Matthew Wright, Scottie Thompson, Mac Belo, Javee Mocon, and Rashawn McCarthy, who all landed in the Top 15.
But there are also the regular contenders in Jayson Castro, June Mar Fajardo, and Sean Anthony.
As exciting is the stats derby for the Best Import award among titleholder Justin Brownlee of Ginebra and tough threats Terrence Jones of TNT KaTropa and Chris McCullough of San Miguel Beer.
In a swashbuckling maiden PBA conference, Parks led everybody with 37.2 statistical points per game built on his averages of 22.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.5 block plus his 80 won-game bonus points.
Perez had a second-running 36.1 SPs. The top draft selection actually had slight edges over Parks in points, assists, and steals, but got only 30 won-game bonus points.
The Columbian Dyip ace rookie is the scoring leader with 22.7 points per game.
Castro came in third in the stats race with 35.1, followed by Fajardo (33.8) then Pogoy (33.2).
The next five were Bolick (32.46), Anthony (32.45), Chris Banchero (31.1), Moala Tautuaa (30.9) and Wright (29.4). Narrowly missing the Top 10 were Thompson (28.1), Belo (27.43), Japeth Aguilar (27.38), Mocon (27.36) and McCarthy (27.0).
Castro is the leader in assists (6.4), Fajardo paces the field in rebounds (11.8) and block (1.54) while Pogoy is No. 1 in steals (2.8).
Brownlee and Jones are in a toe-to-toe fight for the Best Import award, with Chris McCullough considered a big threat being at third and his team favored over Rain or Shine to make the finals.
Brownlee averages 61.8 SPs as against Jones’ 60.2 and McCullough’s 53.8.
Carl Montgomery, the fourth import who made the semifinals, is far behind with 39.6 SPs per game.
