PBA Finals: June Mar Fajardo to play through sore calf in Game 6

San Miguel Beer center June Mar Fajardo during Game 5 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals against Magnolia. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—San Miguel Beer star June Mar Fajardo has no plans to miss Game 6 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Wednesday despite nursing a sore left calf.

Fajardo sustained the injury in the Beermen’s 96-85 Game 4 loss to the Magnolia Hotshots on Friday.

The seven-time PBA MVP played through pain in Sunday’s Game 5 but it hardly slowed him down after putting up a double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds to help San Miguel move on the cusp of the title.

June Mar Fajardo.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

“It’s been okay. It’s just very sore. It’s a good thing that we have two days to rest. That’s a big thing,” said Fajardo in Filipino after their 108-98 win at Araneta Coliseum.

Fajardo said he was advised by his doctor to sit out Game 5 but he chose to play anyway in a pivotal match.

The 34-year-old Fajardo downplayed his performance and instead, gave his teammates much of the credit for the victory.

“I really didn’t do much. It was my teammates who did most of the job for us, Jericho (Cruz), Simon (Enciso). It was ateam effort and hopefully in the next game, we still play that way or even better,” he added.