Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Just like in San Miguel, June Mar Fajardo has shown his willingness to take a back seat to his teammates in Gilas Pilipinas, most notably to Andray Blatche.
“We know Andray is our main man. I’m just doing the role that has been given to me by coach and I think so far, I’m doing that job well,” said the three-time PBA Most Valuable Player.
With Fajardo and Blatche manning the paint, coach Chot Reyes has enjoyed trotting out a formidable twin tower combo, with the two averaging a combined 15.0 boards of the team’s tournament-best 51.3 rebounds in the Philippines’ 2017 Seaba Championship run.
The Cebuano slotman believes that the regional tiff is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his partnership with the Syracuse bruiser, noting that their time together has helped both of them know each other on and off the court.
“I’ve learned a lot from him,” Fajardo said of his roommate. “His leadership on and off the court is the biggest thing and I’m thankful that he’s here to help us win the championship.”
And the same goes for the rest of Gilas Pilipinas, as the team gears up for tougher challenges ahead against its Asian counterparts.
“Our chemistry is already there and we just have to polish that. But I know we can still work on our defense because we’re facing taller opponents next. We really have to work harder on our defense,” he said.