New criteria for PBA conference best player set

Players who made a big impact in the double-round elimination and emerged on top of the classification round won’t go unnoticed this time after the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Press Corps decided to change the criteria in selecting the league most valuable player (MVP). The PBA Press Corps (PBAPC), the PBA Commissioner’s Office and the PBA board of Governors, will start using the new criteria for the Phoenix Petroleum-PBA Elims Top Performer Award in the ongoing Fiesta Cup. The honor will be given to one player who made the most impact before the playoffs. Last conference, Sta. Lucia’s Kelly Williams was the top individual performer and statistical leader for the conference most valuable player (MVP) award but the Realtors were eliminated by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the wildcard phase James Yap of Derby Ace ended up with the MVP of the conference award after the team formerly known as Purefoods won the Philippine Cup. Before, the best player of the conference (BPC) award covers the period from the opening game of the elimination round to at least Game 3 of the best-of-seven finals. Under the new criteria set by the PBAPC, statistics will play a big role in the selection but a player’s overall impact and contribution to his team’s winning will also be highly considered. PBAPC members vote as one in the selection of the BPC and the season MVP. They will also choose the Finals MVP, coach of the year, executive of the year, defensive player of the year, Mr. Quality Minutes, comeback player of the year, all-rookie team and referee of the year. "We feel that a player’s performance in a most crucial phase of the conference – either his team makes it to the Final Four, qualify in the quarterfinals, get stranded in the wildcard phase or be eliminated – should not be left unnoticed," said PBAPC vice president Zean Macamay of People’s Journal. "We’ll have a level playing field when the top performer of the elimination is chosen, and every player from the 10 teams has a shot at winning it," added Macamay. “It will be the goal for everyone to shoot for at a stage when all things are equal." The Phoenix Petroleum-Top Performer trophy will be handed out before the first game of the wildcard phase. – Rey Joble, GMANews.TV