KELLY Williams' bid for the Best Player of the Conference award in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup ended when Sta. Lucia Realty was eliminated by Rain or Shine. But he's not one to cry over spilled milk.

After all he's gone through, Williams is simply happy to be doing what he loves best.

"I can't be, say, mad about it," Williams told Malaya yesterday. "Before the conference I wasn't even sure if I'm going to be able to play or not."

Even with continuous medication for a blood disorder that caused him to miss the rest of last season since the All-Star break, Williams showed he still has the game.

Through the season-opening tournament's 18-game eliminations, the 2007-08 season MVP has racked up a league-most 16 double-doubles and averaged 17.4 points and a conference-best 14.4 rebounds, to go with 3.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

These helped give him an average of 40.1 statistical points, almost two points ahead of second-running Arwind Santos of San Miguel Beer (38.2) and way ahead of former two-time MVP Willie Miller of Alaska (31.8).

With Sta. Lucia bowing out after an 86-90 loss to Rain or Shine in the opening round of the wildcard phase last Sunday, the statistical points will no longer come for Williams and he is left relying on votes from the media, players, the TV coveror and the PBA Commissioner's Office to bag the award.

"I would imagine it was heavily affected," he said. "It's kind of disappointing because we fell short of our goal. But I still consider being able to play a blessing, what with all the medications I'm still taking and all these things."

Williams, who turns 29 on Feb. 7, was quick to point out Santos and Miller, as well as fourth-running Macmac Cardona of Talk N Text (31.4 SPs) and No. 5 Ronald Tubid of Barangay Ginebra (30.7) as worthy of the BPC award, which goes a long way in determining the season MVP.

"The other guys right up there are good and very deserving, so I'm pretty sure the PBA fans will not be disappointed either way," said Williams.

For now, there are two things crowding his mind, aside from him caring for his wife and newborn son. They are his blood condition fully free of the disorder that spells the end of his medication and their campaign in the import-flavored Fiesta Cup starting mid-March. - www.malaya.com.ph