REIGNING eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beer put both his hands on the enormous Crucifix in the hallway of the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Sunday night.
Fajardo’s move was in response to a reminder that a slew of NBA stars’ calf injuries had turned for the worse—Achilles tears like Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks, the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton during his Indiana Pacers’ finals duel with the eventual champions Oklahoma City Thunder.
“Ay, sana huwag, huwag naman,” he said.
The 6-foot-10 Fajardo is walking wounded in the Beermen’s PBA Philippine Cup best-of-7 semifinals showdown with the Ginebra Kings after an ultrasound test revealed he suffered a slight tear on his right calf after the series opener last week, where they lost 71-73.
Fajardo is fighting through the injury as he still suited up in SMB’s Game 2 win (100-3) and Game 3, where SMB fell anew 90-100.
After scoring only two points in just over 17 minutes of play in the second match, Fajardo saw action for 27 minutes and 11 seconds the last time out and turned in a double-double of 12 markers and 14 rebounds.
“May parang cramping tapos kaunting tear,” Fajardo said. “Pero okay naman. Nagta-tight lang siya. Hindi naman ganoon kalaki (tear), pero i-manage lang siya.”
With the Beermen staring at a 1-2 series deficit in Game 4 tonight at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Fajardo vowed to continue shrugging off the injury.
“Medyo,” he said when asked if he was feeling better. “Okay naman, tight lang nang kaunti, pero hindi naman siya masakit. “May pahinga kami ng two days.
“Malaking bagay para sa akin. Hindi lang ako, pati rin sa mga teammates ko.”
