SMB's Washington grabs PBA weekly honors

CEBU, Philippines - San Miguel Beer’s Jay Washington is sure picking up his game now that the stakes are higher.

The 6-foot-7 forward shone the brightest for the Beermen in their ongoing PBA Philippine Cup duel with Barangay Ginebra, putting up impressive numbers that made him the Accel-PBA Press Corps’ Player of the Week for the period Jan. 5 to 9.

It is the second such citation for Washington, who was also so honored by the scribes for the period Nov. 15-21. Like then, picking him this time was a no-brainer.

In the first three games of the best-of-seven series, Washington averaged 20.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots, figures that made him the hands-down choice over B-MEG Derby Ace’s Nino ‘KG’ Canaleta (16 points, 9.5 rebounds in two games started).

The numbers, especially the points, are a big jump from the Zambales native’s averages in the eliminations and quarterfinals, when he normed 15.6 points to go with 9.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks.

Washington was particularly remarkable in the series’ first two games, when he emerged both times as the games’ top scorer and keyed SMB’s surge to a 2-0 lead.

The 2005 top draft pick first scored 19 points in an 86-84 win in the opener before pouring it on to the tune of 29 markers in a 108-102 victory last Friday.

He and the rest of the Beermen tapered down a bit in Game 3 last Sunday, when they wound up on the short end of the series’ first blowout, 95-78. Still, his 13 points were good enough to share team scoring honors with Dondon Hontiveros.

Despite the loss, SMB remains ahead in the duel and it is undeniable Washington remains as the most vital cog in the Beermen’s drive to a finals seat.

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