MANILA – Matthew Wright of Phoenix is way ahead of the pack in the race for the best player of the Philippine Basketball Association bubble season.
As copies of the statistical points (SP's) race as of the end of the elimination round were handed to the media on Sunday, the Phoenix guard was revealed to be leading with 39.5 average SP's.
Terrafirma's CJ Perez, the top scorer after the regular season with 24.4 points per game, is second in the SP race with 35.7, while Wright's fellow Fuel Master Jason Perkins is third with 35.5.
However, with Terrafirma already eliminated and Phoenix heading to the semifinals, Perkins can overtake Perez once the quarterfinal stats are to be tallied as well.
Also in the running is TNT's Ray-Ray Parks, who is fourth after the eliminations with 35.2 average SP's.
In fifth is NorthPort's Chris Standhardinger with 34.6 average SP's while Parks' fellow Tropang Giga players RR Pogoy (34.3) and Jayson Castro (33.6) are sixth and seventh respectively.
Meanwhile, Roosevelt Adams is the leading contender for Rookie of the Year.
The Dyip forward is the top freshman after the regular season with 20.3 SP's.
Meralco's Aaron Black is second with 18.7, but the second round pick of last year's regular draft can overtake the top regular pick with Meralco making the quarterfinals and even sending its series against San Miguel to sudden death.
Black scored 14 points, three rebounds, and one steal in the Bolts' Game 1 win against the Beermen on Friday.
Both Meralco and SMB will face off later Sunday for the right to face Ginebra in the semifinals. (PNA)
