A giant on the hardcourt, Fajardo proves even bigger off it
DUBAI—It was more than 10 minutes after San Miguel Beer emerged victorious over sibling Barangay Ginebra at Coca-Cola Arena here and June Mar Fajardo had yet to make a move toward his locker room.
He was the only player left on the court, obliging fans eager for selfies and autographs, as security and organizers tightened around him to prevent chaos.
It was almost like Fajardo was at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Ynares Center or Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
“Our fans went out of their way to watch us play,” Fajardo told The Inquirer in Filipino after his 17 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and four blocks in the 83-81 win that gave the Beermen back-to-back wins and a 2-2 record in their Philippine Cup title defense.
Indeed, the PBA’s forays into this desert oasis have been an opportunity to give overseas Filipino workers based here a taste of home. And for three hours before another work week, Fajardo tried to make sure everyone got their fill.
“We want to make them feel like they are back home. They are really the stars of the night, so it was really important to give time to grant their requests. At least we gave them something to be happy about,” the nine-time PBA Most Valuable Player added.
He gave them reason to be happy, indeed. Whether it was through his accommodating nature or his monster game, Fajardo gave Filipinos here reason to cheer. On the court, he swallowed the defenses of his good buddy Japeth Aguilar and Norbert Torres, the two big men Ginebra threw at him in the game.
And when the Gin Kings found a way to slow him down, the Beermen had other players stepping up. CJ Perez scored eight of his 10 points in the first quarter, Juami Tiongson, JM Calma and Jeron Teng contributed off the bench while Kris Rosales came up with a pair of big threes in the fourth that proved to be handy for the Beermen.
“You really need the support of your teammates and that’s what happened tonight,” said Fajardo, as his team evened its record to 2-2. “Everyone that Coach Leo inserted stepped up and we were able to follow our game plan.”
The victory over Ginebra followed up its 18-point romp of Rain or Shine back home that halted a two-game slide to start the season. The Gin Kings dropped to 1-3.
But San Miguel still has big games to hurdle, first against Converge on Sunday in Antipolo City and then LA Tenorio’s Magnolia on Nov. 7 in Rodriguez, Rizal.
Victories outside the comforts of home are surely special, and Sunday was no different for Fajardo and San Miguel. And for those who got to watch the first PBA game in this city for the first time since 2019, it was one way to reward themselves amid the challenges of being on foreign land trying to make a living for loved ones they left behind.
“We all know your sacrifices of being away from your families and we appreciate that,” Fajardo told the crowd after the game.
