TWO rising big men and one of the most memorable championship games in PBA history will be honored in the 31st PBA Press Corps Awards Night on Monday at Novotel Manila.
Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser will receive the Bogs Adornado Comeback Player of the Year Award, while the energetic Zavier Lucero will be recognized as the Defensive Player of the Year.
And the Game of the Season?
None other than the thrilling winner-take-all Game 7 of the Commissioner’s Cup Finals between TNT and Barangay Ginebra, where the Tropang 5G prevailed in an overtime classic, 87-83.
Ganuelas-Rosser, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft, was still on the road to recovery from an ACL injury when TNT captured its second straight championship in Season 49.
But the 31-year-old Fil-Am big man made a strong return in the season-ending Philippine Cup, helping the injury-riddled Tropang 5G reach the Finals for the third consecutive time.
Though they eventually fell short against a determined San Miguel Beermen squad in six games, Ganuelas-Rosser impressed with his resilience and production.
In his first conference back from injury, he averaged 10.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.1 assists, earning the nod as a deserving recipient of the award named after Bogs Adornado — the legendary sharpshooter who overcame multiple career-threatening knee injuries to win three MVP titles.
Lucero, meanwhile, made an immediate impact in just his second PBA season, averaging 14.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in his debut campaign with the Magnolia Hotshots.
His arrival — in a trade that sent Jio Jalalon to NorthPort — bolstered Magnolia’s interior defense, helping the Hotshots finish as the No. 1 defensive team of the season.
Lucero also ranked among the league’s Top 10 in both rebounding and shot blocking, earning him a place in the Season 49 All-Defensive Team alongside Stephen Holt, nine-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, Glenn Khobuntin, and Joshua Munzon.
