Here are the players who made the biggest impact on May 22 and the stats to prove it.
TOP PERFORMERS OF THE DAY:
Justin Brownlee GIN SF 31 PTS | 15 REB | 8 AST | 58.0 FPS
Clearly, Brownlee was the hero in Game 2. He set the tone early by erupting for 21 first-half points, eventually finishing with his ninth 30-point game of the tournament. Despite the hot start, he ended on a low note, struggling in the fourth quarter and committing nine turnovers. Brownlee has been playing through a hamstring injury in this series, which clearly affected his performance today and could also be a major factor moving forward.
Jhonard Clarito ROS PF 19 PTS | 8 REB | 3 STL | 43.6 FPS
Clarito was a major reason for their Game 1 win and he carried that same impact today, contributing in many ways. He particularly stood out in the fourth quarter, where he anchored a furious comeback attempt, scoring 11 points while playing with a lot of grit and hustle. While they fell short in the end, Clarito has undeniably been a massive game-changer in this series.
Roger Ray Pogoy TNT SF 27 PTS | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 41.8 FPS
Offensively, Pogoy has been on a tear in these playoffs, but he elevated it further today, going 8-for-13 from two-point range for his best scoring game of the tournament while also contributing strongly across the board. By far, he’s been the best local player in the series and, unless Meralco steps up in defense, that’s unlikely to change.
Rhon Jay Abarrientos GIN PG 25 PTS | 6 AST | 2 STL | 40.4 FPS
The Kings’ guard finished the elimination rounds as the league’s leading local scorer, and he showcased that form with this performance. He was locked in offensively, going 4-for-6 from two-point range and a perfect 8-for-8 from the line, while adding three triples to finish as the game’s second-leading scorer.
Adrian Clarence Nocum ROS SG 20 PTS | 3 AST | 5 STL | 39.7 FPS
Nocum played exceptionally well today, making significant contributions on both ends of the court. Offensively, he was effective, finishing as the team’s top scorer and recording his fourth 20-point outing of the tournament. He’s just as impressive on defense, posting a conference-high in steals. His two-way impact will definitely be crucial in this series.
Calvin John Oftana TNT SG 22 PTS | 9 REB | 1 STL | 37.8 FPS
This was definitely one of his better offensive performances in the tournament. He was effective on two-pointers, hitting 6-of-11, while also adding three triples to match his best scoring game of the tournament. Offensively, Oftana has elevated his play in the playoffs, scoring at least 19 points in three of four games.
Japeth Paul Aguilar GIN C 14 PTS | 12 REB | 3 AST | 32.9 FPS
This was clearly his best performance of the tournament. He made his presence felt in the paint and finished with conference highs in both points and rebounds. With Rain or Shine limited in the frontcourt, he could be in line for more performances like this in the series.
Clifford Marion Hodge MER PF 12 PTS | 10 REB | 1 BLK | 32.0 FPS
Hodge came up huge for Meralco in Game 2. He contributed strongly in the paint, finishing with his fifth double-digit scoring performance while also posting a conference-high in rebounds. Offensively, he has really excelled lately, going 14-for-22 on two-pointers over their last three games.
Christopher Elijah Newsome MER SG 24 PTS | 4 REB | 3 AST | 31.3 FPS
Newsome was effective in Game 1, but he only attempted six shots, one of the lowest on the team, and had a subpar performance. Today, though, he completely took over, going 8-for-12 on two-pointers and a perfect 5-for-5 from the line to lead the team in scoring. This is exactly the type of performance the team will need from him for the rest of the series.
Earl Scottie Thompson GIN PG 15 PTS | 6 REB | 6 AST | 31.2 FPS
On the whole, the former MVP has delivered in the playoffs, scoring above his conference average for the fourth time in five games while maintaining quality output in other areas. However, his struggles are still undeniable, as he’s averaged three turnovers, while shooting 2-for-11 from three over the last two games.
Javee Mocon MER SF 16 PTS | 5 REB | 1 BLK | 25.0 FPS
The veteran forward was back in the rotation after being sidelined in Game 1, stepping up in a big way with superb contributions on both sides of the court. He made a major difference on offense, converting 7-for-9 from the line to finish as one of the team’s leading scorers.
Gian Robert Mamuyac ROS SF 18 PTS | 2 REB | 2 STL | 24.4 FPS
Throughout the conference, Mamuyac has been largely inconsistent on the scoring end, but he has come alive at the right time, posting consecutive near-20-point performances. Despite a slow start today, he was able to turn things around in the fourth quarter, scoring nine points to ignite the comeback.
Jason Alexander Brickman MER PG 2 REB | 4 AST | 2 STL | 17.4 FPS
Since the start of the month, the rookie guard has been making less of an impact overall. That was the case again today, as he shot just 1-for-5 from the field and finished with five points or fewer for the sixth time in the conference. Despite that, Brickman has remained reliable in playmaking and three-point shooting.
Christian Manaytay ROS C 4 PTS | 5 REB | 1 STL | 13.5 FPS
Manaytay moved into the starting lineup today and came through with another impactful performance in the paint. With several key players unavailable, the rookie should continue to handle a key role in this matchup and produce more of these performances.
Rey Benedict Nambatac TNT PG 4 PTS | 2 REB | 4 AST | 12.4 FPS
This conference has been a struggle for Nambatac and that has been even more evident in this series, as he has scored just seven points on 2-for-12 shooting from the field through two games. Still, the team will have to rely on him moving forward, with other key players sidelined or struggling.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE DAY:
Leonard Santillan ROS C 4 PTS | 1-3 FG | 1 REB | 5.2 FPS
Clearly, Santillan has underperformed for much of the conference. While he stepped up over the last three games of the elimination rounds, he wasn’t able to keep that momentum going and made a minimal impact through their first three playoff games. Nonetheless, he could still play a pivotal role in this matchup.
