San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo (with ball) still posts a double-double in limited minutes. —PBA IMAGES
June Mar Fajardo is aware of the unusual trend in the PBA Philippine Cup, where the traditional lower-tier teams are sitting atop the standings at this point of the eliminations.
And that should keep Fajardo and the Beermen, who opened their quest to sweep the two-conference season with a 109-97 win over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, on their toes.
“The games are competitive right now,” Fajardo told the Inquirer in Filipino after posting 15 points and 10 rebounds in limited playing time, his first game in a while after dealing with a calf injury at the latter half of San Miguel’s run to the import-laced Commissioner’s Cup championship.
READ: PBA: San Miguel ‘not shocked’ with lower seeds’ uprising
The seven-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) injured his right calf in Game 4 of that Commissioner’s Cup title series against Magnolia and it also kept the 6-foot-10 center out of two Gilas Pilipinas matches in the Asia Cup Qualifying window last month.
Fajardo also needs to get back to 100-percent health as this tournament wears on, as he had openly said that he will continue answering the call of national duty. Gilas will try to qualify for the Paris Olympics in Latvia in July.
“The teams that are usually at the bottom are now among the top teams, so there’s no reason for us to be complacent,” he continued. “We need to get stronger and we need to take our practices seriously.”
READ: PBA: ‘Healthy’ June Mar Fajardo triumphant in return from injury
San Miguel opened its quest for title No. 30 on the right note, with almost everyone stepping up amid restricted minutes given to Fajardo.
Fajardo, who after the Finals skipped the two games of Gilas Pilipinas in the Fiba (International Basketball Federation) Asia Cup Qualifiers, played just 24 minutes as the Beermen are taking things step-by-step for the season’s MVP frontrunner.
Coach Jorge Gallent even sees no reason, for now, to stretch Fajardo’s minutes, but needs San Miguel’s other big men to step up.
Stepping up
San Miguel Beermen’s Jericho Cruz in the PBA Philippine Cup. –PBA IMAGES
Mo Tautuaa was lauded by Gallent after posting seven points, six rebounds and two assists in a starting role. Tautuaa even had a buzzer-beating shot off an NFL-like inbound pass from Chris Ross which put San Miguel up, 56-45, going back into the locker room.
If Tautuaa can be a key part of the dependable rotation and ease the weight off stars like Fajardo, CJ Perez, Jericho Cruz, and Marcio Lassiter carry during the quest of San Miguel to complete a pseudo-Grand Slam, then the Beermen will be truly a tough act to beat.
But Fajardo is heeding Gallent’s reminders after planting the initial seeds of San Miguel’s all-Filipino quest.
Top rookie injured
“Our goal is to win many championships,” said Fajardo. “But coach Jorge reminded us that we have to take it one game at a time.”
Cruz topscored with 20 points in another key performance off the bench for the Beermen, while Lassiter was adjudged Player of the Game for his 17 points off five triples. Don Trollano and Terrence Romeo added 16 and 13 points, respectively.
Rain or Shine fell to 0-4, with the horizon not looking bright for the Elasto Painters and coach Yeng Guiao with rookie center Keith Datu out with an MCL sprain.
Datu, one of the best-performing neophytes this season, was ruled out of the game before tipoff.