Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
For the longest time, June Mar Fajardo is never the person to commend himself despite his basketball brilliance.
Yet when called upon, more often than not, Fajardo delivers.
And Fajardo once again weaved his magic when San Miguel needed a savior against crowd darling Ginebra in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Down, 93-91, with 3.6 seconds left in the game, San Miguel came off a timeout with Alex Cabagnot designated as the inbounder with Scottie Thompson hounding him.
Fajardo stood on the left block with Ginebra’s 7-foot center Greg Slaughter guarding him, Marcio Lassiter then, set up a screen in the paint that freed the four-time MVP.
After catching the ball on the right block, Fajardo calmly turned to his right that left Slaughter standing still before releasing a fade away jumper.
“My first thought was a handoff to Alex but he was denied so I just turned,” said Fajardo Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.
Fajardo’s jumper bounced off the far side of the rim, to the quick delight of Ginebra fans, but, as if his four MVPs had some sort of magic, the ball hit the square of the backboard.
That bounce off the backboard led the ball directly to the middle of the hoop as the Gin Kings’ fans cowered in horror and the Beermen, and their supporters, cheered their lungs out.
It was another huge play for the Cebuano giant, who never even thought of giving himself a praise he deservingly earned.
“I think I was just lucky when I made the shot,” said Fajardo, who finished with 24 points and 19 rebounds after despite being saddled by foul trouble. “I think that just happens, you just get lucky sometimes.”