June Mar Fajardo vs Sonny Thoss. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Alaska focused on limiting San Miguel’s focal point on offense.
It worked, at least in the early goings of the game.
Focusing June Mar Fajardo to slow down Beermen’s offense early, the Aces looked like they were well on their way of caging the giant.
However, one does not stop Fajardo that easily.
Fajardo bucked a slow start and made big contributions in the end to help San Miguel take a 103-95 Game 2 victory and grab a 2-0 series lead in the 2015 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.
READ: San Miguel snatches Game 2 from Alaska, takes 2-0 lead
The reigning MVP, who received his third Best Player of the Conference award earlier, finished with 16 points on a 10-of-14 shooting from the free throw line, alongside 14 rebounds and two blocks in the win.
But for Fajardo, more than the scoring, he knows that he can help his team in an array of ways.
“Di lang naman sa scoring ako makakatulong. Pwede na ako sa rebounding, ako magke-create ng opensa, mga ganun (I can help more than just the scoring. I can do it in rebounding, creating in our offense, and the like.),” he said.
READ: Fajardo named Best Player of PBA Governors’ Cup
Fajardo acknowledged the adjustments made by the Aces which forced him to just three points in the first half, saying, “Maganda yung adjustment nila sa akin. Maganda yung depensa sa akin ni Sonny (Thoss). Dun talaga ako nahirapan.”
(They did a good job with their adjustments. Sonny Thoss defended me well. That’s where I encountered problems.)
But all of that is past now with San Miguel is looking at Game 3, where it could possibly take a commanding 3-0 series lead.
The Beermen, though, including Fajardo, is treating game 3 as if they are the ones trailing by two games.
“Kailangan pa rin namin ibigay ang lahat. Kailangan manalo sa next game. Kailangan namin i-treat yung next game na do-or-die. Baka pag nanalo sila sa next game, matransfer yung momentum sa kanila at baka mag-tuloy-tuloy. Ayaw namin mangyari yun,” Fajardo said.
(We still need to give our all. We need to win in our next game. We need to treat it like a do-or-die game. If they win the next game, the momentum might go to their side and we don’t want that to happen.) CFC