The Kraken is reportedly targeting a January return from injury.
Prior to fracturing a metacarpal in his left hand, June Mar Fajardo was doing great guns for the San Miguel Beermen, posting impressive per-game averages of 19.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.0 blocks, and 1.0 steal.
Unsurprisingly, he emerged as the early leader for the Commissioner’s Cup Best Player of the Conference plum—tallying 43.3 statistical points (SP) as against the 42.8 SPs of teammate Cjay Perez and Season 47 MVP candidate Christian Standhardinger’s 40.3.
It turns out, The Kraken’s torrid start should have been expected. And the San Miguel camp, particularly newcomer Jeron Teng, probably had an inkling Fajardo would come out dominating in Season 48.
“Nakita ko ‘yung work ethic niya, especially this conference…,” Teng told Noli Eala in One PH’s Power and Play on Saturday. “He was really focused, he was locked in for this conference. Nakita ko nga medyo nag-slim siya this conference, parang mas kundisyon siya.”
Indeed, Fajardo looks in phenomenal shape this conference—slimmer and more mobile than ever, and the results seem to be speaking for themselves.
What’s more, it appears Fajardo has taken more of a leadership role at San Miguel, and it looks like he has taken Teng under his wing.
“Pinu-push rin niya talaga lahat ng players to just play,” Teng pointed out. “Kahit saan kinakausap niya ko na maglaro lang… akala ko quiet siya, pero he’s also a leader. Multiple-time MVP siya, so I think kailangan rin niya talaga maging leader ng San Miguel.”
The Beermen, incidentally, were 3-1 with Fajardo in the lineup and just 1-2 without him.
This means San Miguel will just have to hold the fort just a bit more until a locked-in Fajardo returns, reportedly in January.