Best Player duel down to Castro, Lee

Game Sunday  (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

5 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Meralco

MANILA, Philippines - The fight for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Best Player of the Conference has come down to a virtual one-on-one between crack guards Jason Castro of Talk n Text and Paul Lee of Rain or Shine.

San Miguel Beer’s Junemar Fajardo, Barangay Ginebra’s Greg Slaughter and Globalport’s Terrence Romeo may join Castro and Lee as the five official candidates for the coveted award at the end of the semifinals.

But Fajardo, Slaughter and Romeo aren’t likely to figure well in the balloting among the players, the media and the PBA Commissioner’s Office for failing to make the Final Four.

Fajardo and Romeo even failed to land the playoffs while Slaughter and his team were crushed by Lee and the RoS Elasto Painters in the quarterfinals.

Through the quarters, Fajardo was still on top of the stats race with 34.0 a game, followed by Castro (32.83), Slaughter (31.75), Lee (31.00) and Romeo (30.81).

With a chance of bumping off Romeo at No. 5 is Ranidel de Ocampo with 29.75.

But barring any trouble, it now really looks like a mano-a-mano between Castro and Lee.

Castro, already a two-time BPC winner, has been Talk n Text’s top gun in the tourney, averaging 17.17 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists.

He had 18 points, seven assists, three rebounds and three steals in the Texters’ 127-97 conquest of the Barako Bull Energy in the quarters.

Lee, the 2011-12 Rookie of the Year awardee and twice member of the Mythical Second Team, has been RoS’s lead force, norming 15.75 points, 6.17 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

He delivered 14 points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal as the E-Painters topped the Meralco Bolts, 99-86, in the opener of their best-of-five semis showdown Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, Ato Agustin is reportedly heading back to San Miguel Beer after being replaced by Frankie Lim as head coach at Barangay Ginebra.

At San Miguel, Agustin will be a member of coach Leo Austria’s staff.

Also moving over to SMB from Barangay Ginebra is assistant coach Jorge Gallent.

In assuming the post as head coach of the Gin Kings, Lim said: “My duty is to bring the team to the next level of excellence, ensuring that we set higher goals for ourselves to bring back the fire, tenacity and win championships as we owe it to our dear fans.”

“I thank everyone for the support and rest assured I am committed to this role. Surely it is not an easy task, there will be changes, but change is good and I am up for the challenge,” Lim also said.