June Mar Fajardo posted 38 points and 18 rebounds, but his efforts proved futile as San Miguel ceded Game 5 against Meralco in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup on Friday, June 14.
Whenever he faces reporters after a PBA match, June Mar Fajardo usually flashes his signature mischievous smile.
But not on Friday night, June 14.
Fajardo could hardly grin in the aftermath of San Miguel’s 88-92 loss to Meralco in Game 5 of the Philippine Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
June Mar Fajardo does it all for San Miguel in Game 5. | Photo (c) Sherwin Vardeleon
This even after the 6-foot-10 behemoth set a new season-high with 38 points on 14-of-17 shooting from the field he embellished with 18 rebounds, two assists and two blocks in over 44 minutes of play.
Fajardo, who just hoisted his 10th Best Player of the Conference award three days ago, said shots were simply not falling for the team.
Aside from Fajardo, the only other player in double figures for the Beermen was CJ Perez, who scored 17 but just converted a quarter of his 16 attempts. Perez's fellow Game 2 hero Marcio Lassiter misfired from three-point range, flubbing all of his three tries, to just settle for six points.
The rest combined for a 9-for-30 shooting clip.
[ALSO READ: Players Gonna Play: Jedi or Sith? Brandon Bates represents Meralco's New Hope]
“Pero maganda naman sana 'yung ano namin. 'Di lang namin na-shoot 'yung mga usual shots namin. Ang dami naming namintis,” said Fajardo.
But San Miguel stays unfazed. After all, it is not the first time that they found themselves in a 2-3 pit in a best-of-seven series in the championship stage.
According to the league's chief statistician Fidel Mangonon, in three of four times the Beermen were in the same situation in the finals in the last 15 years, they still went on to win the title (2022 Philippine Cup, 2019 Philippine Cup, and 2009 Fiesta Conference).
[ALSO READ: PBA: Allein Maliksi bares motivation as he regains shooting touch in Meralco’s Game 5 win over San Miguel]
That’s what Fajardo hopes to pull off now as San Miguel looks to level affairs for the third time in Game 6 on Sunday, June 16, still at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Meralco's Chris Newsome, Brandon Bates and Chris Newsome try to bother San Miguel seven-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo. | Photo (c) Sherwin Vardeleon
“Sana mangyari ulit ngayon. Pagsisipagan namin 'yung next game. Gusto naming makuha 'yung championship, eh. Hindi namin basta-bastang ibibigay 'yun,” said Fajardo.
“Lalaruin pa rin namin 'yung San Miguel basketball. Ayun ang laging ni-re-remind ni coach, eh. Credit din sa Meralco. Maganda 'yung laro nila ngayon.”