San Miguel center June Mar Fajardo during the PBA Finals press conference.–PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—Countless trips to the PBA Finals and a handful of championships don’t make San Miguel superstar June Mar Fajardo immune to the immense pressure that comes with playing in a title series.
Fajardo and the Beermen will take on the Meralco Bolts in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals, which begins Wednesday, and the seven-time MVP admits he has butterflies in his stomach ahead of his matchup against Meralco’s twin towers Raymond Almazan and Brandon Bates.
“Siyempre, kinakabahan ako (Of course, I’m nervous.),” said Fajardo during the PBA Finals press conference on Monday at Crowne Plaza in Ortigas.
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A REPORTE—Wait a minute… 🤣🤣🤣
Chris Ross sneaks in during an interview scrum for fellow San Miguel Beerman June Mar Fajardo. @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/awFvJ2jA1t
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) June 3, 2024
“Honestly, Brandon’s been playing really well, especially in that Game 7. He has a high potential, he always goes hard and that’s the good thing about him,” said Fajardo, referring to Bates’ Game 7 performance against Barangay Ginebra.
Bates, the 6-foot-9 rookie, was the unlikely hero in Meralco’s 78-69 win over Ginebra in Game 7 with six points, 13 rebounds and six blocks.
And then, of course, there’s also Almazan, the 6-foot-7 veteran who can impact the game on both ends.
“Si Raymond, tropa ko ‘yan, e… Gugulpihin ko ‘yon (Raymond’s my friend. I’ll beat him up.),” said Fajardo in jest.
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“Kidding aside, Raymond’s not just someone you can ignore because he shoots well from three points and the perimeter. He’s also long so he can defend and score,” added Fajardo in Filipino.
But make no mistake, expect Fajardo to be up to the challenge.
“I’ll do my best to help the team win. For sure, it will be a dog fight. We know how Meralco plays. They go hard and they’re number one in defense so we’ll do our best.”