PBA: June Mar Fajardo out for San Miguel game vs Bay Area after throat surgery

San Miguel Beer center June Mar Fajardo. PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines—June Mar Fajardo is scheduled to miss San Miguel Beer’s highly-anticipated match against the Bay Area Dragons on Sunday after undergoing surgery on his throat.

Team manager Gee Abanilla said this season’s Philippine Cup Best Player of the Conference is currently recovering after the procedure was done Thursday afternoon.

Fajardo got hurt after getting elbowed inadvertently by Rain or Shine import Steven Taylor Jr. during San Miguel’s 113-105 win last Sunday at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

The 6-foot-10 center will be forced to play the role of spectator as the Beermen face the Dragons at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Many were looking at an intriguing faceoff between Fajardo and Liu Chuanxing, the Dragons center who stands at 7-foot-5.

It will also give San Miguel, currently at 1-1 in the midseason conference, a stern test against a Bay Area side aching to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Barangay Ginebra.

Bay Area was handed its first defeat after a 4-0 start.