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| Arwind Santos is no MVP, but he's still the league's top PF. |
Being a power forward in the PBA is a
little difficult simply because the position is just so loaded with talent.
Proof? Four guys on this list are among the ten most efficient players in the
entire league. That just tells you how top-heavy this spot is for PBA teams. In
this list, we have the classic power forwards – those who bang bodies in the
paint and get rebounds like crazy – and the more nouveau stretch forwards –
those who can put the ball on the hardwood and space the floor with their
perimeter shooting.
Without
further ado, here they are – the top five power forwards of the entire 2013-2014
PBA season (as always, this is based on the Player Efficiency ratings as
calculated by PBA-Online.net):
5. Marc Pingris (SMC) - 9.8ppg, 7.4rpg,
2.7apg, .501 FG%, 30.2 EFF
- A lot of people would want Ping to be
much higher on this list (say, #1?), and they wouldn’t be wrong. Statistically
speaking, however, Ping takes a hit because so many players on San Mig Coffee
play well. Put this guy on most of the other rosters, and he’ll be a
double-double beast for sure. On SMC, though, he’s content being an occasional
scorer and the team’s primary defensive stopper. Still, don’t sleep on the fact
he’s probably the best passing PF out there (nearly 3 assists per outing) and,
well, 50% from the field is always a good thing.
4. Ranidel De Ocampo (TNT) - 15.2ppg,
6.6rpg, 1.5apg, 2.0 triples per game, .409 3pt%, .820 FT%, 32.7 EFF
- RDO is the perfect balance between a
classic and a stretch PF. Everyone knows he loves to mix it up down low, but
everybody (the entirety of Asia actually) also knows that he can wax hot from
beyond the arc at the drop of a hat. He was the Best Player of the Govs’ Cup
for good reason, and he remains to be one of the best PBA cagers out there bar
none. I mean, two treys a game and 82% from the line? #Insane #Unfair
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| Ranidel De Ocampo is the best stretch 4 in the country. (image by Paul Ryan Tan/Sports 5) |
3. Jay Washington (GLO) - 15.6ppg,
7.5rpg, 1.9apg, 1.1spg, 1.4 triples per game, .795 FT%, 34.0 EFF
- J-Wash’s numbers may have been a
little padded because he’s not exactly playing for a contender, but the fact
remains that he was among the most productive players this past season. He’s a
constant double-double threat, plays the passing lanes well (about the only
thing he does well on defense), and is a streaky sniper. He’s like a
less-consistent version of RDO, only he has slightly better stats.
2. Japeth Aguilar (GIN) - 13.7ppg,
7.6rpg, 1.1apg, 2.1bpg, .507 FG%, 34.1 EFF
- Japeth is coming off his best PBA
season ever. He averaged career-highs in scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks,
and field goal percentage. Yes, we can all criticize Ginebra for its “larong
mayaman” tendencies, but the reality is Japeth is a really promising prospect
for the future. His tandem with Greg Slaughter up front should be even more
dangerous in the next few seasons, especially if Aguilar can continue
developing his midrange game and being aggressive.
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| Japeth Aguilar pulls up over another top PF, Marc Pingris. (image by Paul Ryan Tan/Sports 5) |
1. Arwind Santos (SMB) - 15.1ppg,
8.6rpg, 1.9apg, 1.1bpg, 35.0 EFF
- The much-maligned 2012-2013 MVP
actually had better numbers this season than he did last season, but no way he’s
this year’s MVP. Though Santos’s image as an inconsistent and “non-clutch”
player will always stick, his numbers should speak volumes about how productive
he has been for the Beermen. Despite the presence of league MVP Junemar
Fajardo, Santos continues to fill the sheet for SMB, and that’s enough (statistically)
to make him this past season’s best PBA power forward.
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| Arwind Santos keeps on padding those stats for SMB. (image by Pranz Kaeno Billones/Sports 5) |
Outside looking in:
Cliff Hodge (MER) - 29.1 EFF
Gabby Espinas (ALA) - 28.4 EFF
Reynel Hugnatan (MER) - 26.6 EFF
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