June Mar Fajardo's San Miguel Beermen now share the early lead with the Magnolia Hotshots in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup.
Amid all the fanfare leading up to the day the PBA celebrated its 50th anniversary, San Miguel behemoth June Mar Fajardo made sure he was locked in as his Beermen collided with Meralco Wednesday night, April 9.
Fajardo threw his weight around and lifted the Beermen past the Bolts, 110-98, for their second straight win in as many games.
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The eight-time Most Valuable Player put up a vintage performance, a perfect complement to the retro jerseys sported by both squads.
He wound up with 28 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and a block.
Not even his recent inclusion in the league’s 50 Greatest Players list could distract Fajardo.
“Hindi ko iniisip. Focus lang ako sa game, kung anong goal namin. Ang goal namin tonight ay ipanalo 'yong game kasi sabi nga ni Pops (head coach Leo Austria), kailangan naming i-redeem ang mga sarili namin,” said Fajardo after the match at the historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
June Mar Fajardo of the San Miguel Beermen puts up a wall against the Meralco Bolts' Aaron Black in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup. | Photo (c) RM Chua/One Sports
The 6-foot-10 superstar was also at the forefront of the team’s 33-point fourth quarter that saw the Beermen turn a precarious 77-75 advantage into a breakaway.
But he did not do it alone.
Cjay Perez fired a game-high 29 points, including 11 in the fourth period. He also had five rebounds, four assists and two steals to his name.
Jeron Teng also finished with 11 markers and three boards, while Rodney Brondial and Marcio Lassiter combined for 17 points and 15 rebounds.
“Because of the experience of the players, especially June Mar Fajardo, they knew how to deal with that kind of situation,” said SMB mentor Leo Austria when asked about the Bolts, who mounted a fightback from as much as 33-50 down to post a threat in the payoff period.
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Chris Newsome paced Meralco with 27 points, four rebounds, seven assists and two steals.
Kurt Reyson had 14 points, while Aaron Black and Raymar Jose scored 12 each for the Bolts, who absorbed their first loss in three games.
San Miguel vs Meralco Scores
SAN MIGUEL – Perez 29, Fajardo 28, Teng 11, Brondial 9, Lassiter 8, Tiongson 7, Rosales 7, Tautuaa 6, Trollano 5, Cahilig 0.
MERALCO – Newsome 27, Reyson 14, Black 12, Jose 12, Hodge 10, Cansino 8, Bates 6, Almazan 5, Quinto 4, Torres 0, Rios 0, Caram 0, Pascual 0.
Quarterscores: 25-21, 52-38, 77-74, 110-98.