June Mar Fajardo. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Gilas Pilipinas can breathe that sigh of relief now.
June Mar Fajardo said that after an injury scare which prompted him to rest his swollen right knee, he will be good to go when the national team returns to practice on Monday.
“Okay na ako. Magpa-practice na ako bukas. Wala na akong nararamdaman sa tuhod ko na masakit,” Fajardo said on Sunday.
Fajardo excused himself from Gilas Pilipinas practice last Thursday, when he didn’t even finish the session and immediately went to Makati Medical Center for checkup. The San Miguel Beer center has yet to participate in the practice although he has been present at the sidelines, listening to head coach Tab Baldwin to make sure he won’t lag behind.
Baldwin said the team will play it safe when it comes to the two-time PBA MVP, limiting him on Monday’s session.
“June Mar is going to work out tomorrow, do what Jeff (Chan) is doing right now,” the mentor said, pointing to the minimal drills that the injured Rain or Shine shooter did during the session.
“These guys will have to work themselves to shape.”
Fajardo is aching to get back on the court even more so with the arrival of naturalized center Andray Blatche.
“Siyempre malaking bagay para sa amin si Andray. Mas ok na nandito sya para yung mga plays namin, makabisado nya. Kundisyon naman sya eh. Galing naman siya sa tournament sa China,” he said.
And the Cebuano giant is hopeful to pick up a thing or two from Blatche’s repertoire of moves through the course of this buildup.
“Excited ako na makasama sya ulit. Marami akong matututunan sa kanya kasi ang galing ng mga moves niya eh,” he said./rga