Another week and a new No. 1 as Antonio Hester's strong play helped the Magnolia Hotshots move up the standings and inch closer to the postseason. (Note: Rain or Shine played without an import last week after Greg Smith's replacement, Jordan Tolbert, was one-eighth of an inch above the height limit.)
1. Antonio Hester (Magnolia Hotshots)
Previous rank: 4th
Hester was a big reason the Hotshots swept both their games last week, putting in averages of 34.0 points and 15.5 rebounds. Against the NorthPort Batang Pier, he had 28 in just 30 minutes as he sat out towards the end of a blowout win. Against a tougher-than-expected Terrafirma Dyip side, he put in 40, including the bucket that sent the game into overtime with 12 seconds left. Hester has fit in nicely with the Hotshots, who are 6-1 since bringing him in to replace Eric McCree.
2. Justin Brownlee (Barangay Ginebra San Miguel)
Previous rank: 9th
Brownlee played three games last week, averaging 28.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists and making all 11 of his free throws as Barangay Ginebra won all three. He actually played four games last week, if you're counting his 41-point effort against Jordan in the FIBA qualifiers. Playing heavy minutes in four games over six days, it's understandable then that he'd have one off-game. He had that against the Phoenix Super LPG, where he shot just 5-of-16 and finished with a conference-low 18 points.
3. Wayne Selden, Jr. (NLEX Road Warriors)
Previous rank: 3rd
Selden had his best shooting performance last week, hitting 13 of 20 shots (including 6-of-9 from deep) and finishing with 38 points in NLEX's win over Terrafirma. It was only the second time he has scored more than 35 points, the first coming in his PBA debut on Feb. 8 when he had 43. It was the first time he was better than 50% from beyond the arc -- part of the Road Warriors' franchise-best 23, triples tied a league high.
4. Kevin Murphy (NorthPort Batang Pier)
Previous rank: 1st
Murphy held the top spot in these rankings last week after averaging 35.0 points in two games. In the second of those games, a win over Rain or Shine, Murphy set a franchise record when he made 10 3-pointers. For that game, he shot 10-of-12 from deep to go along with 13 rebounds. Overall last week, he was 14-of-22 on 3s and 24-of-43 on all field goal attempts.
5. KJ McDaniels (Meralco Bolts)
Previous rank: 2nd
It was a busy week for McDaniels, the Governors' Cup's leading rebounder. He had 28 and 11 in a loss to Barangay Ginebra, then poured in a conference-high 33 points in a chippy overtime win over the Converge FiberXers. Two days later, he was held to just 19 and fouled out against Phoenix, although he did have four steals and 16 boards. The Bolts won those last two games to solidify their spot in the top four.
6. Jordan Williams (Terrafirma Dyip)
Previous rank: 11th
Williams, the No. 2 scorer with 34.3PPG, averaged 37.0 over two games last week, but the Dyip still lost both. He had "only" 29 in a high-scoring loss to NLEX, but followed that up with 45 against Magnolia. Unfortunately, it was his turnover in the dying seconds that allowed the Hotshots to send the game into overtime, where he missed two free throws and managed just three points.
7. Du'Vaughn Maxwell (Phoenix Super LPG)
Previous rank: 6th
Maxwell averaged pedestrian numbers over three games last week: 22.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists, although he did post 3.3 blocks per game as he continues to lead the league in that category. It's pretty obvious Maxwell isn't your typical explosive, high-scoring import -- his average is second-lowest among all reinforcements -- and Phoenix really hasn't had much success with him. For some reason he's managed to stick around.
8. Jamaal Franklin (Converge FiberXers)
Previous rank: 5th
Talk about a Jekyll and Hyde week for Franklin. On March 3, he lit it up for 57 points, tying the conference high mark set by Jordan Williams, in an overtime loss to Meralco. Just two days later against Barangay Ginebra, he was inexplicably passive on offense in a game the FiberXers needed to win to keep their top-two bid alive. Franklin took just five shots for the entire game, and didn't take a shot in the second half until midway in the fourth quarter. He finished with just four points as Converge dropped its third straight. The performance prompted Converge coach Aldin Ayo to remark that there would be changes in the team before their next game.
9. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (TNT Tropang Giga)
Previous rank: 7th
Hollis-Jefferson spent last week in Japan, but since he was on a tourist visa, he was unable to suit up for the Tropang Giga in the EASL Champions Week. He'll have another week off for the All-Star break before returning to action on March 15.
10. Cameron Clark (San Miguel Beermen)
Previous rank: 8th
Like Holllis-Jefferson, Clark was in Japan for the EASL, but at least he was able to play. He'll also have this week off and a return date on Mar 15.
11. Shawn Glover (Blackwater Bossing)
Previous rank: 10th
Glover also sat out the previous week, so we'll just put him here.