BACOLOD – June Mar Fajardo’s new-found confidence in his three-point shooting will be on full display in the PBA All-Star festivities.
The name of the 6-foot-10 San Miguel star was brought back to the list of competitors in the Three-Point Long Distance shootout among big men and instantly, became one of the favorites to top the novelty event.
Mo Tautuaa was earlier named as a replacement for the seven-time MVP after Fajardo was initially thought to be unavailable for the event when he incurred a calf injury during the latter part of the Commissioner’s Cup finals.
But with the Cebuano cager back in the pink of health, Fajardo regained his slot in the three-point shootout that serves as part of Saturday’s Skills Challenge contest.
"Originally, it was really JMF for both the Obstacle Course and Three-Point shootout for San Miguel. Then we got word from SMB that with his injury during the (Commissioner's Cup) finals, the team wants to limit his activities," explained Deputy Commissioner Eric Castro.
"So we got Mo. But JMF is okay already to compete for the Three-Point shootout."
Fajardo will now engage fellow bigs Keith Zaldivar (Converge), Christian David (Blackwater), Ralph Cu (Barangay Ginebra), James Laput (Magnolia), Raymond Almazan (Meralco), Dave Marcelo (NLEX), JM Calma (Northport), Jason Perkins (Phoenix), Leonard Santillan (Rain or Shine), Isaac Go (Terrafirma), and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser in a shootout never before seen in the history of the All-Stars
The San Miguel center has shot 14-of-49 from beyond the arc in his entire career, but is 6-of-13 from the same spot this season, according to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III.
Two of his threes this season came during Game 2 of the Commissioner’s Cup finals between San Miguel and Magnolia in which he hit two in a row during the final two minutes of the match which the Beermen won, 109-85.
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