Top players in the PBA Philippine Cup at the FIBA break

The PBA’s golden season is underway, with the Philippine Cup heading to its midpoint ahead of the FIBA international break. This is a time to evaluate the players who have stepped up so far, making their names in the league’s 50th anniversary.

The season has seen a mix of veterans still stamping their place as powerhouses in Philippine basketball and young players looking to help their teams break the familiar mold at the top of the standings. 

Rain or Shine is the new leader of the PBA Philippine Cup after tonight’s thrilling win over TNT @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/wdlk5mDgrB

— Jonas Terrado (@jonasterradoINQ) November 15, 2025

Here are the top PBA players in the Philippine Cup at the FIBA international break:

June Mar Fajardo – San Miguel Beermen

It’ll come as no surprise that the nine-time MVP is still dominating in the PBA. Fajardo has been at the forefront of the San Miguel Beermen for years now. Despite dropping their first two games of the season, the Beermen have now won five straight to sit in fourth place in the standings. 

Fajardo is still a major part of Leo Austria’s system, averaging 17.9 points and 14.9 rebounds while playing 34.9 minutes per game. Nobody in the PBA can still stop the 36-year-old as he is in contention to grab his 13th Best Player of the Conference award.

Juan Gomez de Liaño – Converge FiberXers

Expectations were high heading into the season on the former UP Fighting Maroons standout De Liaño, and so far, he is exceeding them. Averaging 17.0 points and 7.1 rebounds, as well as being the second-best playmaker in the league with 8.3 assists per game, the FiberXers might have drafted the league’s next biggest star.

De Liaño has continually delivered for Converge, highlighted by a career-high 32-point performance against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, which established him as a premier player and also earned him a Gilas Pilipinas spot in the upcoming FIBA World Asia Qualifiers. With Converge on track for the playoffs with a 5-2 win-loss record, the sky is the limit for de Liaño, who will undoubtedly be in the talks for Rookie of the Year and even the Most Valuable Player award after this season.

Zavier Lucero – Magnolia Hotshots

Not a lot of people would have thought that LA Tenorio’s reign in Magnolia would be as successful as it is now. Thanks in large part to Lucero, who is averaging his career-best 15.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. 

The former Fighting Maroons big man’s efforts also go beyond the offense, as he leads the league in blocks with 2.0 per game. Lucero’s versatility allows Magnolia multiple avenues of scoring as well as flexibility in defensive matchups. If Lucero keeps elevating his game to the next level, it will only be a matter of time until Magnolia snaps its seven-year championship drought.

Sedrick Barefield – Blackwater Bossing

Barefield has seemingly taken his frustrations from losing Rookie of the Year last season to Ginebra’s RJ Abarrientos personally. Blackwater Bossing’s super sophomore has topped the league so far in points with 22.5 per game. He has also carved himself as the PBA’s deadliest sharpshooter after tallying a league-high 3.3 three-pointers made on 9.2 attempts per game.

Although Blackwater has not yet evolved into a contender, Barefield’s development as a reliable scorer can at least show the franchise that they have the tools to start maximizing their potential.

Calvin Abueva

When Abueva was traded to the then-Northport Batang Pier last season, it seemed that his career was starting to dwindle. But the former Alaska Aces star is not done yet after averaging 22.1 points, including getting a career-high 41 in the Titan Ultra Giant Riser’s very first game in the league, and 10.9 rebounds per game.

At 37 years old, Abueva is playing like the firecracker we all grew to love in the late 2010s. The San Sebastian Star is not only defying expectations, but he is also igniting the fierce competitiveness for a new franchise looking to stamp itself in the league.

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