PBA IMAGES
San Miguel may be in the finals, but for June Mar Fajardo, the real work is just about to get started.
“We’re happy that we’re back in the finals, but we know that it’s not going to be easy for us,” Fajardo said in Filipino. “All our efforts have bore fruit, and now that we’re here again with an opportunity to play in the Finals, we are happy. But we know that our mission is not yet over.”
Fajardo finished with 25 points, nine rebounds, and three rebounds in the series closer, showing no signs of slowing down as he remains as one of the biggest reasons why San Miguel is pegged as the favorites whoever its opponent may be in the championship round.
The Cebuano giant, however, shrugged the notion off and said that when the title is on the line, nothing is easily given.
“There’s no such thing as an easy opponent. It was hard to get to the finals. It doesn’t mean that we’ve won three all-Filipino championships that we’ll be handed out the victories. We still have to get those wins,” he said.
That’s why Fajardo is just in awe of the effort the Beermen showed through the course of this conference as they move four wins away from a rare fourth straight all-Filipino crown.
“I’m proud of my teammates because we’re all willing to step up. Even the coaching staff who was there for us, they are the ones who prepared us for the adjustments that we need to do in our games. Again, it’s a team effort,” he said.
San Miguel will now have the luxury of rest as it awaits the victor of the Magnolia-NLEX semifinals series.