Fajardo says he had no intentions of hurting Meralco import Davis

JUNE Mar Fajardo (middle). INQUIRER File Photo

MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Beer center June Mar Fajardo said he had no intentions of hurting Meralco import Josh Davis when the two saw action against each other in an out-of-town PBA game in Cagayan de Oro on Saturday.

The 6-foot-10 Fajardo sent Davis airborne with a fake, but Meralco’s shot blocking import instead crashed hard to the floor on his hip with 7:16 remaining in the second quarter.

Davis immediately stood up and tried to go after Fajardo but had to lie back down as he grimaced in pain while holding on to his left hip.

“I wasn’t expecting for that to happen. I wanted to go to him and help him when I saw what happened. But I didn’t know what to do, I was shocked,” the gentle giant, who was seen shaking his head while making the sign of the cross after the incident, said in Filipino.

“I didn’t mean to hurt him. I made the sign of the cross because as a player, we don’t want to see our fellow players get hurt because it won’t just be us, our families will be affected too,” Fajardo added.

Davis had to be stretchered off the floor with the Bolts and Beermen tied at 30. He returned to the bench in the second half but didn’t see action any further as Meralco absorbed its first loss of the 2015 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Fajardo said that he extended his apologies to the Meralco coaching staff and players afterwards.

“I really didn’t mean it. I said sorry to the coaching staff and players of Meralco, they were okay.”

Fajardo, the league’s reigning MVP, led San Miguel to its first win after a 0-4 start with 21 points and 22 rebounds. New import Arizona Reid posted 29 points and 12 rebounds in his debut for the Beermen.

Davis, arguably the most impressive import in the field so far, finished with four points and five rebounds in just 13 minutes and 34 seconds of play.

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