MANILA, Philippines – Reigning PBA Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beer was like a kid in a candy store on Sunday during the PBA All-Star Game, as he got to show off moves and skills that he doesn't generally use in regular games.
Fajardo, playing for the South All-Stars, still displayed his smooth post moves, his light touch around the basket, and his rebounding ability, but the "Kraken" seemed to enjoy it best when he brought the ball down the court like a guard, as well as when he was shooting from beyond the arc.
He made only one of his three three-pointers, and when the game was on the line, he returned to where he is most effective – inside the paint, carving up the defense of the North team with lay-ups.
Fajardo finished with 25 points – shooting 12-of-21 from the field – to go along with nine rebounds in a losing effort as the North secured a 154-151 victory. After the game, his coach, Leo Austria – who also called the shots for the South team – said he was not surprised to see Fajardo display the skills of a guard.
"Sa practice, ginagawa niya 'yun," said Austria of the behind-the-back dribble and off-the-bounce three-pointers that Fajardo unleashed in the All-Star Game.
"Even in college, alam ko na capable siya mag-dribble. During college days niya, nagbaba siya ng bola pagka nagpe-press ang kalaban," he explained.
"'Yung touch niya sa three-points, talagang meron siya," he added. "Meron talaga siyang touch."
However, Austria is still unlikely to allow Fajardo to bust out those moves once he is back in a San Miguel uniform.
"Pagdating sa official game sa amin, mas maraming mas magaling sa kanyang tumira, katulad ni Marcio (Lassiter)," Austria pointed out. "At siya 'yung mas magaling na rumebound."
"That's why I advise him to stay in the shaded area," he added.
Austria, who coached SMB to back-to-back All-Filipino Cup titles earlier this season, did not completely rule out the possibility of a Fajardo triple in an official PBA game, however.
"You can never know," he said. "Sometimes – especially if the time is winding down, and nobody wants to take the shot – pwede rin siya 'pag ganoon."
Fajardo, however, does not seem willing to test his coach's patience.
"Hindi siguro," the big man said when asked if he will try his dribbling and three-point shooting skills in a regular game. "Magagalit siguro (si coach)."
Austria, Fajardo, and the rest of the Beermen resume their defense of the PBA Governors' Cup on Sunday against Ginebra.
Source : http://news.abs-cbn.com/
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