Jayjay is season’s MVP

JAYJAY Helterbrand has won almost every major individual award in his 8-year PBA career, except for the MVP.

Not anymore.

Steering Ginebra to a stunning turnaround after an unmemorable start in the season, Helterbrand was adjudged as the 2008-09’s Most Valuable Player, becoming only the second Gin King after Erik Menk to capture the league’s most prestigious individual honor during last night’s Leo Awards at the Araneta Coliseum.

The 32-year-old dominant point guard and national team player won by a landslide margin over Arwind Santos of Burger King and San Miguel Beer’s Dondon Hontiveros, snatching the most votes from the media, players, TV coveror and the PBA Commissioner’s Office.

He wound up with 3220 points in the overall MVP race, with Santos a far second at 733. Hontiveros collected 650. Helterbrand, too, had the highest statistical points among the three with 439, with Santos having 420 and Hontiveros 402.

The crowd erupted in ear-splitting cheers as Helterbrand’s name was called, and the 5-foot-11 guard, after getting high fives from the players, acknowledged the approval by waving back to the fans with his two arms.

He received his trophy from chairman Joaqui Trillo of Alaska, Sta.

Lucia’s Buddy Encarnado and Commissioner Sonny Barrios and was later on joined on the stage by his 9-year old daughter, Jalyn.

“I’m really proud,” said Helterbrand. “It was something that I had wished but I never really thought that it would be like this.”

For winning his very first MVP, the Novaliches-born, Kentucky State University-groomed Helterbrand automatically led the Mythical First Team along with Santos, Philippine Cup Finals MVP Mac-Mac Cardona, Jay Washington of San Miguel Beer and Coca-Cola’s Asi Taulava, the leading player in statistical points.

Willie Miller, who was aiming to become only the fourth player to win the MVP at least three times and the Best Player of the Conference in the Philippine Cup, led the Mythical Second Team along with Hontiveros, Kelly Wiliams of Sta. Lucia Realty, Jay-R Reyes of Rain or Shine and Gabe Norwood, who was unanimously voted Rookie of the Year.

Jonas Villanueva was chosen as the Most Improved while Ryan Reyes, also of the Realtors, won the Sportsmanship Award.

Santos, Taulava, Ronald Tubid and Billy Mamaril of Ginebra, and Burger King’s Wynne Arboleda were named to the All Defensive Team.

Only a championship remains as the missing piece to what could be a dream season for Helterbrand, who was also the Best Player of the Conference in this Fiesta Conference. He likewise won the same award last season when the Gin Kings copped the title against Air21 in 7 games.

Helterbrand also had a Finals MVP when the Gin Kings captured the 2006-07 Philippine Cup.

If Ginebra fails to become the first team to repeat as Fiesta Conference champion, Helterbrand will go down as the fourth man to win the MVP without winning a team title after William ‘Bogs’ Adornado of Utex in 1981, Ramon Fernandez in 1984 with Beer Hausen, and Benjie Paras of Shell in 1989.

Helterbrand averaged 17.8 points, 5.0 assists and 3.9 rebounds for the season, the weight of his numbers achieved during the season-ending tournament when the Gin Kings made it to the semi-finals outright before slipping past Rain or Shine to advance to the Finals.

Ginebra hardly made it deep in the Philippine Cup this season, losing to San Miguel Beer in the quarterfinals.

Helterbrand winning the MVP was also the first since Menk won it in the 2004-05 season.