ANTHONY WASHINGTON has positioned himself to a possible second-straight Best Player of the Conference (BPC) award in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), a feat no other player in the league has achieved in the last decade.

The versatile San Miguel Beer forward moved from fourth to second place in the statistical points (SPs) average category after the semifinal round of the PBA Philippine Cup. His solid performance against Barangay Ginebra in the semifinals yielded him a 33.3 SPs average.

If the six-foot-seven Filipino-American hoists the trophy which he held the first time after the 2009-10 Fiesta Cup, he would match the achievement his teammate Danny Ildefonso pulled off—although the pride of Urdaneta City won three straight in 2001 when the league still had a three-conference format.

Alaska’s Joe Devance remained at No. 1 in the SPs average category with 34.24, while erstwhile front-runner Arwind Santos also of San Miguel Beer slipped to third with 32.52.

The SPs comprise 30 percent of the total votes. Media’s vote is also worth 30 percent, the players’ 25 percent, Solar Sports’ is 10 percent and the Commissioner’s Office 5 percent.

“It feels exciting if I win back-to-back,” said Washington, who is averaging 15.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks per game in the Philippine Cup.

“But it would be sweeter if we win the championship. I owe it to my teammates, the coaches and management to be in this position,” he added.

Washington and the Beermen will be facing Talk ’N Text in the best-of-seven championship series of the All-Filipino tournament starting on Saturday in Victorias City in Negros Occidental.

Harvey Carey, easily coach Chot Reyes’s most consistent player, ranked fourth with 30.33 SPs average followed by another Tropang Texter, Ali Peek, with 29.52.

Mark Cardona (2006-07 Fiesta Cup) and Asi Taulava (2003 All-Filipino) were with TNT when they won the award. Both are now with Meralco.

Joel Orellana, Business Mirror