June Mar Fajardo looks forward to FIBA Asia Cup campaign

June Mar Fajardo looks forward to FIBA Asia Cup campaign

by rick olivares

HONG KONG -- When Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner Chito Narvasa announced last Tuesday that PBA squads have agreed to release Gilas pool members to the national team that will compete for the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon this August, San Miguel Beermen center June Mar Fajardo, on vacation in Hong Kong with girlfriend Aerieal Patnongon felt that familiar wave of excitement.

On short vacation before San Miguel kicks off its Governors’ Cup campaign, the veteran national player bared his thoughts while going for early evening coffee with us at Ocean Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui.

“Oo masaya ako na kasama ako sa Gilas,” he said between sips of his coffee. “Hindi lahat nakakasama rito and sino ba may ayaw nasa ganitong sitwasyon? Iba yung pakiramdam. Siyempre kaibigan mo na mga nandito at ang hirap minsan pag-kalaban mo sila sa PBA. Dito sa national team magkakampi na kami. At iba yung challenges.”

Fajardo paused. Even with the limelight on him greater than ever, he expressed that he isn’t really comfortable speaking. “Pasensya na, hindi ako masalita. More sa laro. Sa San Miguel sila Alex (Cabagnot) at Arwind (Santos) yung mga nagsasalita. Sa Gilas, nandun naman sila Jayson (Castro) at Japeth (Aguilar). At dati, si Jimmy (Alapag). Si Jayson naman ang captain ball ng Gilas at alam niya na mga dapat sabihin. Pero suporta ako sa ano ang dapat namin gawin.”

Aside from representing the country in international competition – and fighting for slots to the FIBA World Cup and the Olympics – Fajardo looks back very fondly for it was in the 2013 FIBA Asia where he showed his potential. “Yung mga training namin sa ibang bansa at nakalaban namin mga malalaki – yun ang nakatulong sa akin,” he recalled. “Kung hindi ako lalaban; kung hindi ko gagawin ang trabaho ko ay walang mangyayari sa amin. So nabigyan ako ng pagkakataon at kumpiyansa ng mga coach. Medyo nasanay at nahasa at nadala ko sa PBA.”

Speaking of the goals of making it back to the FIBA World Cup and a long overdue return to the Olympics which is like a Holy Grail for Philippine basketball, falling short is motivation for the slotman. “Siyempre, motivation din sa amin at sa akin personally na makaabot sa Olympics at World Cup. Hindi madali. Sana, next time makuha namin. So good news yung galing kay Commissioner Narvasa.”

While Fajardo is dominant in the PBA, when it comes to international basketball, he is working on his perimeter shooting and agility to cope with the power and faster game.

“Malaking bagay yung perimeter shooting,” he pointed out by way of summation. “Lalo na malalaki yung kalaban na meron mga tira sa labas at experienced pa. Hindi naman lagi makaka-poste. Kailangan din meron tira sa labas. Kaya effective si Ranidel (De Ocampo). Alam na namin kung ano yung dapat i-work on namin practice sa court. Ikaw na mag-add ng kailangan kung mag-swimming, mag-gym para improve yung fitness and conditioning mo. Malaking tulong yan sa bayan.”

At our hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui

Early evening coffee at Ocean Centre