Austria: With or without Fajardo, Alaska is beatable

San Miguel head coach Leo Austria. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Amid the uncertainty of June Mar Fajardo’s availability in the finals due to a knee injury, Leo Austria’s faith in his players remains steadfast ahead of their best-of-seven duel which starts on Sunday.

“Mga players confident sila, maganda yung atmosphere [in practice] maybe it’s because of being in the finals,” Austria told INQUIRER.net over the phone when asked about the Beermen’s mood as Fajardo, as it stands, is likely out of Game 1.

Fajardo had to be stretchered off in the third quarter of San Miguel’s 90-82 win over Rain or Shine Friday night after hurting his left knee during a rebound play against the Elasto Painters’ Jireh Ibañes.

Austria doesn’t seem to be rattled by the prospect of having to beat the Aces without San Miguel’s star center, but he believes the Beermen are the underdog this time out.

“With or without June Mar, beatable yung Alaska. Now that you’re in the finals, you never know what will happen. Our players are capable but kami na ang underdog dito because of what happened,” said Austria.

San Miguel and Alaska will figure in the finals for the third time in the last four conferences with the Beermen winning in the previous two meeting including a 4-0 sweep in the 2015 Governors’ Cup.

The Aces took down the Beermen, 103-97, in their lone meeting in the elimination round this conference despite Fajardo’s 43-point, 20-rebound outing last month.

Losing Fajardo, who averaged 34.8 points, 16.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game in the semifinals, will be a big blow to the Beermen.

But San Miguel has shown at least for one game, it’s still a formidable team minus Fajardo with backup big men Gabby Espinas and Yancy de Ocampo and other key players led by Arwind Santos and Marcio Lassiter filling in the void left by their teammate.

“Kagabi si Yancy and si Espinas nag-step up for June Mar. These guys tataas playing time nila dahil mahahati yung minutes ni June Mar. Mas magiging maganda yung ball rotation dahil magkaka-oppportunity yung iba mag-score. Dati kasi si June Mar involved sa lahat ng play. Magkakaroon ng ibang direction ngayon.”

Fajardo logged nearly 40 minutes per game through six games in the semifinals, but don’t expect the 26-year-old center to play as much in the finals when he suits up.

Austria also defended his decision to keep Fajardo in long stretches of the game instead of managing his minutes and keeping him fresh as much as possible given the Beermen”s frontcourt depth with Espinas, de Ocampo, Arwind Santos and Jayr Reyes.

“Laging sinasabi ng iba, since he’s averaging 38 minutes na nilalaro, bakit binababad? Ang sinasabi ko, last year, the same din naman. Mas grabe pa nga dahil wala kaming big man noon. Ngayon, naglalaro siya ng ganun din. Very efficient siya sa loob eh. Kaya habang gumagawa sya, nag-s-stay. Siya mismo, sinasabi niya wag siya ilabas, ako nga pumpigil sa kanya. Sabi niya sakin, ‘Coach, gusto kong manalo, gusto kong maglaro.’ Pero sa finals, [yung playing time niya] depende kung anong ilalaro niya. Depende sa nararamdaman niya but I’m sure mababawasan yung playing time niya.”

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