Favored for a 6th MVP, Fajardo’s absence gives others a chance to shine

June Mar Fajardo’s long absence due to a leg injury will figure in the plans of a lot of teams—and players.

It’s going to feel like a throwback season when the PBA opens shop on Sunday. At least for teams hunting the league’s most prestigious trophy, the Philippine Cup. The league’s 45th season will take them back to a time when they didn’t have to worry about one June Mar Fajardo.

Fajardo will be at the sidelines for most of the season—perhaps all of the Philippine Cup—and for the first time in many years, his shadow won’t loom large over the rest of the PBA.

“Everybody misses June Mar,” said San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria.

Maybe not the 11 other teams who in the last five years have been kicked around at the post like a deflated basketball. Or players who in the last five years the MVP trophy was a pipe dream.

It will be for one more season as Fajardo is expected to win his sixth straight MVP award during the Leo Awards that will precede the opening game at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Beermen kick off the season—and their Philippine Cup defense—at 7:30 p.m. against Magnolia, the team that last challenged San Miguel for the all-Filipino crown. The Hotshots came close, forcing a Game 7 and coming to within a defensive stop in the stretch of ending the Beermen’s dynastic run.

They are among the favorites this season, but coach Chito Victolero doesn’t want his team to fall into the trap of underestimating a San Miguel team without Fajardo, who broke a shin bone in practice. San Miguel still has its core of Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot, Chris Ross, Terrence Romeo, and Marcio Lassiter.

“I think they’ll change a lot with the way they’re used to playing, but this is a very talented team,” said Victolero, who added forward Jackson Corpuz and guard Chris Banchero to his squad late last season. “These are proven winners, but we can’t discount the other stars. They have a wealth of experience and the swag of being a champion. They’re not going to give up easily.”

But without Fajardo, San Miguel is plain vulnerable, its hold of the crown tenuous at best.

“I told the team even before that nobody can help us except ourselves so we have to step up,” said Austria, who will try to milk every bit of a post game from stretch big Mo Tautuaa.

“We will try our best to have a threat in the post because normally that’s our setup with June Mar,” Austria said. “Our shooters can’t shoot if our big men can’t score.”

Challenging Fajardo for the MVP trophy are NorthPort big man Christian Standhardinger, rookie of the year frontrunner CJ Perez of Columbian Dyip and Jayson Castro of TNT KaTropa.

Fajardo and Standhardinger also lead the roster of centers/forwards vying for slots in the Mythical Selection. Also in the list are Japeth Aguilar, Sean Anthony, Troy Rosario, Ian Sangalang, Tautuaa and Jeron Teng.

Castro and Perez, meanwhile, banner the list of guards in the race for the Mythical First and Second Teams.