Who Will Be Crowned This Week's PBA Player of the Week?

Watching Rain or Shine dismantle TNT in that 107-86 Game 3 victory was something special. I’ve been covering the PBA for over a decade, and you don’t often see a semifinal match swing so decisively, especially not with a 21-point margin. The Coliseum was electric, but what struck me most wasn’t just the final score—it was the sheer number of players who stepped up when it mattered. That’s what makes this week’s PBA Player of the Week conversation so compelling. We’re not just looking at one standout performance; we’re looking at a collective effort that makes picking a single winner both challenging and fascinating.

Let’s start with the obvious candidate: Beau Belga. The man was an absolute force on both ends of the floor. He didn’t just score—he orchestrated. Finishing with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists might not sound otherworldly on paper, but his impact went beyond the stat sheet. I’ve always believed Belga is one of the most underrated big men in the league, and Sunday’s game was a masterclass in high-post play and defensive communication. He set the tone early, drawing defenders out and creating driving lanes for his guards. And let’s not forget that crucial stretch in the third quarter where he scored 8 unanswered points, effectively putting the game out of reach. If the award valued two-way consistency and leadership as much as raw numbers, Belga would be a shoo-in.

Then there’s Jhonard Clarito. I’ll admit, I’ve had my doubts about his consistency in the past, but he’s been silencing critics left and right this conference. Against TNT, he was a whirlwind of activity—15 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and relentless defensive pressure. What stood out to me was his energy off the ball. He generated at least four extra possessions through sheer hustle, and in a playoff game, that’s pure gold. I remember thinking midway through the fourth, "He’s everywhere." Players like Clarito don’t always get the spotlight, but his performance was a textbook example of how to impact a game without needing every play called for you.

We also can’t ignore the backcourt duo of Andrei Caracut and Shaun Ildefonso. Caracut’s poise was remarkable for a relatively young guard in a high-pressure semifinal. His 14 points and 5 assists came with zero turnovers, a stat that I find almost unbelievable given the pace and physicality of the game. Meanwhile, Ildefonso, contributing 12 points off the bench, provided that spark every coach dreams of. His back-to-back triples in the second quarter felt like a momentum-shifter, and honestly, it’s performances like his that often swing these weekly awards. The "clutch factor" is real, and he embodied it.

Of course, context matters. TNT was severely depleted, missing key players like Roger Pogoy and Jayson Castro. That undoubtedly made Rain or Shine’s task easier, and it’s something the voters will weigh. But here’s my take: you can only play who’s in front of you. Dominating a shorthanded contender in a semifinal, on both ends of the court, still requires focus and execution. Rain or Shine didn’t just win; they made a statement. The 107 points they put up were a season-high for them in the playoffs, and holding any PBA team to 86 points is a defensive accomplishment.

So, who gets my vote? It’s incredibly tight. If I were leaning purely on statistical dominance and all-around game control, I’d go with Beau Belga. His leadership was palpable. But if we’re talking about the player whose energy and two-way effort most directly catalyzed the win, Jhonard Clarito makes a massive case. Personally, I’m slightly inclined toward Belga. In a high-stakes game, the calming presence and high-IQ plays of a veteran often make the subtlest yet most significant difference. His performance wasn’t the flashiest, but it was the most complete. Whoever the PBA announces, this week’s winner will have earned it through a game that reminded us why we love Philippine basketball—the heart, the hustle, and the emergence of heroes when the lights are brightest.