Player Of The Week

• CABAGNOT BIGGEST BOOST FOR PETRON

THE PBA Philippine Cup may be stuffed with explosive newcomers, but trust some veterans to step up
the most at the crunch.

Such was the case of Petron Blaze’s Alex Cabagnot, who did much more than just be a playmaker,
lifting the Boosters to back-to-back wins and earning for himself the Accel PBA Press Corps’
Player of the Week citation for the season-opening period Oct. 2 to 9.

The southpaw point guard consistently shone the brightest for the Governors Cup champion which
continued to be undermanned, making the crucial points that pointed Petron to victories over B-MEG
and Barako Bull and into the early lead.

“Ipinapakita talaga ni Alex ang pagiging beterano niya at ang poise niya napakalaking tulong sa
team” said Petron head coach Ato Agustin of the man tabbed at No. 2 overall by Sta. Lucia Realty
during the 2005 Rookie Draft and who has strutted his wares with Coca-Cola and Burger King before
making it to the team then known as San Miguel Beer in 2010.

Arwind Santos continued to be a big force for the Boosters with two-game averages of 15.0 points and
16.5 rebounds and rookie teammate Chris Lutz has shown immense potential with norms of 18.0 points,
3.0 rebounds and as many steals.

Even Rain or Shine’s sensational rookie Paul Lee ( 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists in
two games) and Talk N Text’s Japeth Aguilar (27 points, eight rebounds, two steals in the Tropang
Texters’ debut game) put up better numbers than Cabagnot’s norms of 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds,
3.5 assists and 1.0 blocked shot.

Yet the bulk of Cabagnot’s points came when both games were on the line, clear proof he is willing
to take charge when the need arises.

It was Cabagnot’s three straight baskets from beyond the arc that sparked Petron’s decisive 18-4
breakaway from a 75-70 count against Barako Bull, powering the Boosters to a cruising 95-83 win last
Friday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

Just two days before, it was Cabagnot who chiefly bailed Petron out of danger by scoring seven of
his team’s last nine points in a 73-69 opening victory over B-MEG at the Cuneta Astrodome. (NC)