Here are the players who made the biggest impact on May 9 and the stats to prove it.
TOP PERFORMERS OF THE DAY:
Kenneth James Tuffin PHX SF 18 PTS | 6 REB | 2 STL | 34.7 FPS
In two games since Rivero was sidelined, Tuffin has taken on a much larger role on the scoring end and delivered, averaging 22.5 points and 3.5 threes while going 10-for-16 on two-point attempts.
Juan Gerardo Gomez de Liano CON PG 25 PTS | 5 REB | 3 AST | 34.5 FPS
In the Phil. Cup, the star guard made an outstanding debut, averaging 19.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists. But he struggled to come close to that level in this conference, averaging just 14.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists. Still, he remains one of their most dependable players, and he finished the eliminations on a high note, posting his best scoring game of the tournament.
June Mar Fajardo SMB C 7 PTS | 16 REB | 3 AST | 33.7 FPS
Offensively, the nine-time MVP has simply been dominant over the last three outings, averaging 25.7 points while shooting 33-for-43 from two-point range. However he didn’t look like the same player today, converting just 2-for-6 and finishing with his second-worst scoring output of the tournament.
Calvin Abueva CON PF 15 PTS | 4 REB | 2 STL | 33.3 FPS
This was a strong finish in an otherwise inconsistent conference for the veteran. While he made his presence felt in many areas, it was on the offensive end where he stood out the most. He was nearly unstoppable from two, hitting 4-of-5 while going 7-of-7 from the line for his best scoring game of the tournament.
Jericho Xavier Cruz SMB SG 20 PTS | 5 REB | 3 AST | 30.5 FPS
Since averaging 3.5 points in two games last month, Cruz has flipped the script. While he was impressive against Terrafirma, he elevated his game even more today, setting a new conference-high in scoring after converting 7-of-10 attempts from the two-point range.
Bryan Santos PHX PF 17 PTS | 3 REB | 1 AST | 22.1 FPS
Santos provided a big spark at the offensive end, knocking down five threes for a conference-high in scoring. Through 12 games this conference, he has made a total of 16 threes while hitting close to 35%.
Christian Tyler Tio PHX PG 10 PTS | 4 AST | 1 STL | 20.4 FPS
Tio was far from efficient today, shooting just 4-for-15 from the field, but he still managed to do enough to finish with double-digit points in each of his last six games. It would definitely make a big difference for the team if he can still keep this up going forward.
Celedonio Trollano SMB SF 14 PTS | 4 REB | 1 TO | 17.8 FPS
The forward has always been a strong contributor for the Beermen, but his consistency on the scoring side has been on another level this conference. With the way he’s been playing lately, Trollano should have no trouble keeping this level of production in the playoffs.
Marcio Lassiter SMB SG 9 PTS | 2 AST | 1 STL | 17.4 FPS
Scoring-wise, Lassiter has been highly inconsistent recently. After averaging 15 points in a two-game stretch last month, he scored only three in the next two games. But he was able to get his groove back today, hitting two threes while making contributions in other areas.
Evan Heinrich Nelle PHX PG 6 PTS | 4 AST | 1 STL | 16.4 FPS
Though his performance today wasn’t as great as the previous one, he still contributed strongly on the offensive end. Through 12 games this conference, he has been really impactful, averaging 8.0 points and 4.8 assists.
John Louisse De Los Santos PHX PG 3 REB | 5 AST | 1 STL | 16.1 FPS
Since scoring zero points in his first two games of the conference, he has consistently contributed on the scoring end while also making an impact in the rebound and assist categories. The same was true today, as he posted a well-rounded performance which included a team- and conference-high in assists.
John Rodney Brondial SMB C 3 PTS | 8 REB | 1 AST | 14.1 FPS
Outside of their game against Magnolia, Brondial has struggled to find a consistent role in the rotation this conference. Today, however, he saw more playing time and delivered, posting his second-best rebounding mark of the tournament.
Jaymar Perez SMB SG 12 PTS | 1 STL | 4 TO | 13.7 FPS
The last three games have been a bit problematic for the star guard, as he’s produced subpar scoring numbers while also making minimal impact overall. But it wasn’t all negative; he was effective from two-point range today, knocking down 5-of-6 shots.
Krismoir Rosales SMB PG 6 PTS | 2 AST | 1 STL | 13.2 FPS
Outside of their opening game, Rosales has been largely out of the rotation this conference. Still, he has provided an offensive spark a couple of times, much like he did in this game.
Matthew Daves PHX PF 6 PTS | 3 REB | 1 STL | 13.1 FPS
In the few times where Daves has seen extended minutes this conference, he has provided a positive impact on offense. He repeated that today, stepping into the starting lineup and hitting 3-of-4 from two.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE DAY:
Christian David BWB SF 2 PTS | 4 REB | 3 AST | 8.3 FPS
Clearly, this conference has been a struggle for the forward, with his scoring consistency becoming a major issue. Still, his potential is evident, and he should be able to produce more standout games in the future conferences.
