Supporting role
CEBU City—For June Mar Fajardo, the country’s glory comes first.
The three-time PBA Most Valuable Player is willing to take the back seat and let others chart the route in the Philippines’ drive toward the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) championship and, hopefully, the Fiba Asia Cup title.
“Whatever coach (Chot Reyes) wants me to do I’ll do it,” said Fajardo, San Miguel Beer’s 6-foot-10 prized center whose point production is expected to dip under the dribble drive system of the national mentor.
“I am not after visible numbers, especially the scores,” added Fajardo on Sunday, hours before Gilas Pilipinas 5.0 takes on the Visayas All-Stars at Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City. “Whatever is required of me to help the team, I’ll do it.”
The Seaba tournament is set May 12 to 18 at Smart Araneta Coliseum and the Fiba Asia Cup on Aug. 10 to 20 in Lebanon.
Fajardo will be joined by Calvin Abueva, Japeth Aguilar, Raymond Almazan, Jio Jalalon, Allein Maliksi, Troy Rosario, Roger Pogoy, Jason Castro, Matthew Wright and Terrence Romeo in Gilas Pilipinas’ first game as a team since the final roster was announced by Reyes in Lucena last Friday.
Naturalized Filipino Andray Blatche completes the Final 12, but the 6-11 slotman, who also likes to shoot outside, will be arriving from the US only on Monday.
With Blatche around, Reyes will have the luxury of fielding a twin tower combination that’s certain to terrorize the smaller players of the region.
Fajardo, the fulcrum of the Beermen’s offense that have yielded them the last three Philippine Cup crowns, will have to take a new role as defensive stopper as well.
Gilas Pilipinas assistant coach Jong Uichico said Fajardo’s 260-pound frame will always be an advantage.
“I’m sure coach Chot will pounce on it should nobody on the other team be able to match up with June Mar,” said Uichico.
