Let me take you back to that electrifying 2017 PBA season - what a time to be a basketball fan in the Philippines. I still remember watching those games with my colleagues at the sports publication where I worked, debating endlessly about who deserved the MVP honors that year. The competition was fierce, but when the dust settled, one name stood out above all others: June Mar Fajardo. Now, I know what you're thinking - another Fajardo MVP? But trust me, this particular season was special even by his incredible standards.
Looking at the stats from that UP 69 game you referenced - with Alarcon putting up 15 points, Stevens contributing 14, and Torres adding 12 - it really puts Fajardo's dominance into perspective. While these were solid performances from role players, Fajardo was operating on an entirely different level throughout the 2017 season. I've always believed that true MVP candidates don't just put up numbers - they elevate everyone around them, and that's exactly what Fajardo did. His averages of 19.3 points, 14.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game don't even tell the full story of his impact.
What really impressed me that season was how Fajardo adapted his game. Remember, this was back when teams were starting to double and triple-team him consistently, yet he still found ways to dominate. I recall one particular game against Ginebra where he absolutely took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 straight points against Greg Slaughter. That's the kind of performance that separates MVP candidates from the actual winner. The way he controlled the paint while still maintaining his trademark efficiency - shooting around 58% from the field - was just remarkable.
The voting itself wasn't particularly close, which surprised some casual observers but made perfect sense to those of us who followed the league closely. Fajardo accumulated a total of 2,427 points from the votes, finishing well ahead of his closest competitors. What many fans don't realize is that the MVP voting considers statistics, player votes, and media votes - and Fajardo dominated across all three categories. I had the privilege of casting one of those media votes, and while there were several worthy candidates, Fajardo's consistency throughout the season made him the obvious choice.
Comparing his performance to the numbers we see in that UP 69 box score really highlights the gap between good players and truly great ones. While players like Alarcon and Stevens were putting up decent scoring numbers in that particular game, Fajardo was delivering night after night against the league's best competition. His ability to maintain his production through the entire season - playing all 38 games while dealing with constant defensive attention - demonstrated a level of durability and mental toughness that I've rarely seen in my years covering the PBA.
Reflecting on that 2017 season now, I'm even more convinced that Fajardo's MVP was one of the most deserved in recent memory. The way he carried the Beermen through crucial stretches of the season, his improved passing out of double teams, and his leadership on and off the court - it all added up to a complete package that no other player could match that year. While statistics like those from the UP 69 game give us snapshots of individual performances, Fajardo's season was like a masterpiece painting that you had to watch unfold over months to truly appreciate.
