3-way battle heats up for PBA's top performer award

What initially loomed as a duel for the Rain or Shine-PBA Philippine Cup Elims/Quarters Top Performer Award between Alaska’s Joe Devance and Talk ‘N Text’s Harvey Carey has turned into a three-way fight, with a resurgent Arwind Santos of San Miguel Beer joining the fray. Devance, the Aces’ shooting forward, and Carey, the Tropang Texters’ hard-driving frontliner, appeared to have a lock on the award, presented for the second time by the PBA Press Corps to the best performing player in the All-Filipino Conference prior to the best-of-seven semifinals. But Devance, whose Aces fell to the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the best-of-three quarterfinals, took a slide in his average statistical points after the series, allowing Santos to take over as the stats leader. Talk ‘N Text and San Miguel skipped the quarters after clinching outright Final Four berths for finishing No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the classification stage of the elimination round. Santos averaged 34.7 statistical points (SPs) after 15 games, Devance finished with 34.5 in 17 matches, and Carey with 34.4 in 15 outings. A second SMB player, Jay Washington, is in fourth with 34.1 average SPs. Prior to his injury early this season, Ranidel de Ocampo, Talk ‘N Text’s comebacking forward, was the runaway choice last season. But now the stats race among the four pacesetters has become very heated. The PBAPC also casts its vote for Best Player of the Conference and Most Valuable Player, and chooses the Finals MVP at the end of each conference. The awards will be presented on Jan. 5 at the Araneta Coliseum by PBA Commissioner Chito Salud, PBA vice chairman Mert Mondragon of Rain or Shine, and the PBAPC. - KY, RCJ, GMANews.TV