Defense specialist Santos leads player honorees in PBA scribes’ awards night

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Basketball Association Press Corps is keeping its choice for Coach of the Year under wraps until Tuesday. But the sports scribes are revealing their picks on a number of individual awards to be presented on the PBA Press Corps Annual Awards at the Bayview Park Hotel in Manila. Arwind Santos of Air21 will be named Defensive Player of the Year, Peter June Simon Mr. Quality Minutes and Mike Hrabak of Red Bull Comeback Player of the Year. Top freshman Ryan Reyes of Sta. Lucia leads the All-Rookie team composed of Joe Devance of Air21, Ronjay Buenafe of Coca-Cola, Chico Lanete of Purefoods and Doug Kramer of Air21. Jess Ferrer will be feted the Referee of the Year trophy. Another highlight of the PBAPC Awards is the special tribute to coach Tommy Manotoc. Manotoc’s U-Tex team won the Open championship in 1978 that broke the Crispa-Toyota stranglehold and in 1983 his Crispa squad completed the league’s second Grand Slam. The PBA Press Corps will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the U-Tex triumph and the silver anniversary of the Crispa Grand Slam. Boyet Fernandez of Sta. Lucia, Jong Uichico of Ginebra, Bo Perasol of Air21 and Yeng Guiao of Red Bull are vying for the Coach of the Year award. Buddy Encarnado of Sta. Lucia, Lito Alvarez of Air21, Tony Chua of Red Bull and PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios are contending for Executive of the Year honors. Alaska Milk team owner Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, awarded the Philippines’ Ernst & Young 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year, is guest of honor and speaker. Past and present league officials are also expected to grace the occasion. Simon and Hrabak were unanimous choices, while Santos beat teammate Wynne Arboleda for the Best Defensive plum. – GMANews.TV