For Barangay Ginebra, CHRISTIAN Standhardinger has stepped up in the absence of Japeth Aguilar in the front court, earning him the award for his outstanding performance.
In Aguilar’s absence due to an MCL sprain, the 6-foot-8 German-Filipino nearly averaged a triple-double for the Kings in their last three games, including victories over playoff-bound teams Meralco and Converge.
Cignal Play-PBA Press Corps unanimously selected Ginebra center Christian Standhardinger as their Player of the Week for the week of March 1-5 after he averaged 29 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in three victories that helped the defending champions tie San Miguel for second place at 7-2.
The group of men and women who routinely cover the PBA beat voted Don Trollano of NLEX, who scored a career-high 44 points in a 142-125 win over also-ran Terrafirma, as their runner-up pick to Standhardinger.
Standhardinger was praised by Coach Tim Cone for making up for Aguilar’s absence at the plate
“Since Japeth can’t play, we have no choice but to rely on him for more playing time. It’s a huge reaction from him, “the winning coach remarked.
Standhardinger started his onslaught with a 31-10-7 line against Ginebra’s rival Meralco in a 112-107 come-from-behind victory, and then he followed that up with a 28-12-8 effort in a 109-89 rout of Phoenix.
Standhardinger scored 28 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists as the Kings blew out the FiberXers 120-101 for a Top 4 finish.
Both Magnolia’s Calvin Abueva and Meralco’s Aaron Black finished in the top three for the weekly plum.
Final Thoughts
In the absence of Japeth Aguilar, Christian Standhardinger stepped up and delivered an outstanding performance for Barangay Ginebra. His near triple-double average for three games, including two wins over playoff-bound teams, earned him the unanimous selection for the Cignal Play-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week award. The PBA beat writers and broadcasters chose NLEX’s Don Trollano as their second-best player, behind Standhardinger.
Standhardinger’s exceptional performance earned praise from his coach, Tim Cone, who acknowledged the player’s significant contribution to the team in Aguilar’s absence. Standhardinger’s consistent and impressive numbers in the last three games helped Ginebra tie with San Miguel for the second spot in the standings.
Overall, Standhardinger’s outstanding performance is a testament to his skills, hard work, and dedication to the game. The award is well-deserved recognition of his contributions to the team and his exceptional performance in the league. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how Standhardinger and his team continue to perform and compete at the highest level. If you’re a fan of the PBA Commissioners Cup, consider placing a bet on Standhardinger’s team for their upcoming games.