AWARE he’ll be up against Fiba-Asia opponents who have the size and quickness, June Mar Fajardo is now developing a new pair of offensive weapons to add to his arsenal.
“Importante talaga ang hook shot kasi matatangkad na ang mga kalaban,” the Petron rookie told Spin.ph shortly after working out with the Boosters on Friday.
“Tapos jump shot na din,” he added.
The 6-foot-10 Fajardo saw the need to widen his offensive repertoire after Gilas Pilipinas concluded its two-week training camp in Palanga, Lithuania where it played seven tune-up games against club teams and the Lithuanian Under-20 national squad.
“Magandang experience. Siyempre, malalaki, mabibilis, saka basic sila maglaro,” Fajardo said of the Lithuanians.
The nationals finished the training camp with a 5-2 (win-loss) record.
Although he’d rather wait for the official lineup, the 6-foot-10 Fajardo is a cinch to make the final 12-man roster of coach Chot Reyes for the qualifier of the Fiba-World Basketball Championship set on August 1-11 in Manila.
The 23-year-old big man, who averaged 10.4 points and 6.9 rebounds in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, said he’s excited to resume his one-on-one skills workout with former two-time league MVP Danny Ildefonso.
Ildefonso has been credited with Fajardo’s remarkable improvement in the mid-season conference.