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Jayjay Helterbrand Bags Best Player of the Conference Honors

Showing an MVP-like performance in the conference that propelled the Barangay Ginebra Kings to the Finals of the 2008 PBA Fiesta Conference, Jayjay Helterbrand was adjudged as the Best Player of the Conference. He won over close buddy Mark Caguioa for the plum.

Barangay Ginebra's Chris Alexander also won the Best Player of the Conference award over close rival Steven Thomas of the Air21 Express. Chirs Alexander is the main reason why Barangay Ginebra rose from the cellar after a dismal start of 0-5 in the import-laden conference.

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HELTERBRAND, ALEXANDER: ’08 SMART FIESTA’S BESTS Ginebra Mutt-and-Jeff tandem sweep individual awards

Source: Philippine Basketball Association
Saturday, August 9, 2008

ANTIPOLO CITY. -- Barangay Ginebra stalwarts Jay-Jay Helterbrand and import Chris Alexander were adjudged top basketball players in the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference Friday night at the Ynares Center here prior to the start of the Game 2 of the best-of-seven Finals.

The 5-foot-11 Helterbrand lived up to his billing as the league’s current top basketball point guard, winning Best Player of the Conference honors while the seven-foot-one Alexander was named Best Import.

Helterbrand, who was second in the statistical points category with an average of 32.42 SP, garnered a total of 1,403 total points votes to win his first BPC, besting basketball teammate and buddy Mark Caguioa.

The Novaliches-born but US-bred Kentucky State alumnus is the fourth basketball player in the Ginebra franchise history to win BPC honors after Marlou Aquino in the 1996 Governors Cup, Eric Menk in the 2004 Fiesta and 2004-05 Philippine Cup and Mark Caguioa in last season’s Philippine Cup.

The 6-foot-1 Caguioa, who topped the SPs race with a 0.20 lead on Helterbrand, received 883 total points votes to finish second in the balloting.

An Iowa State product, Alexander thus became the fifth basketball reinforcement in franchise history to win the award and first since Wes Matthews won it in the 1991 Third Conference.

Alexander joined Matthews, Michael Hackett (1985 Reinforced Conference), Jamie Walker (1988 Reinforced) and Carlos Briggs (1989 Open Conference) as Ginebra’s Best Import winners.

The third import of the Kings after Rashon Turner and Easrnest Brown, Alexander earned 1,413 total points votes to beat Air21’s Steven Thomas (988).

Barangay Ginebra has won 17 of its 21 basketball gammes this conference with Alexander who leads the basketball league in rebounding (20.8), shotblocks (3.2) and field-goal percentage (58.2%) while also averaging 19.2 points and 2.1 assists per basketball gamme.

With Helterbrand and Alexander at the helm and with help from Caguioa, who is the conference’s top local basketball scorer, Barangay Ginebra reach the Finals for the 17th time in basketball franchise history.

In seven previous basketball conferences where teammates won Best Player of the Conference and Best Import plums, their teams went on to win the basketball championship six times.

Statistics and votes from media members accounted for 30 percent each in the criteria for selection. Votes from players account for 25 percent, the league’s television partner ABC-5 vote 10 percent while the Commissioner’s Office is five percent of the criteria.

The voting was conducted before Game 1 of the Fiesta Cup basketball championship between Air21 and Baranga Ginebra, which went on to lose the gamme ironically after so-so performances from Helterbrand and Alexander.

Helterbrand said it is an honor for him to be named BPC, but his priority is to help Barangay Ginebra win its eighth PBA basketball championship.

“I’m happy, but this would mean nothing if we don’t win the basketball championship. For me that’s what it’s all about, winning a basketball championship,” Helterbrand said.

Helterbrand, who will turn 32 on October 14, is averaging a basketball conference-best 6.3 assists, 18.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in the tourney while shooting 38% from three-point range. (WG)