YOU can’t win them all.
That's how June Mar Fajardo summed it all up after San Miguel failed to retain its PBA Philippine Cup title on Sunday when the team lost to Meralco, 80-78, in Game 6 that gave the Bolts a 4-2 win in the best-of-seven series.
Always graceful in defeat, the 6-foot-10 center gave credit to Meralco, which he said was ripe to finally win its first championship in franchise history.
After overhauling a 17-point deficit in the first half and rallying from 10 points down in the last five minutes to tie the game with 3.3 seconds, the seven-time MVP believed the Beermen had a perfect shot at forcing a winner-take-all Game Seven.
But his belief was shattered a few seconds later by Chris Newsome, whose hang-time jumper off Don Trollano sealed the Bolts’ win and gave the team its breakthrough title.
“Sayang kasi tingin namin kaya naming manalo, kaya naming ipanalo yung series na ito. Pero ganun talaga yung sports, kailangan tanggapin natin yung pagkatalo,” said Fajardo.
“Time naman ng Meralco na mag-champion ngayon. Palakpakan natin yung dapat palakpakan, i-congratulate natin yung dapat i-congratulate.”
Fajardo again carried San Miguel on his broad shoulders, finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists in Game Six.
His surprise three with 3.3 second to go capped a San Miguel fourth-quarter comeback that tied the game at 78-all and raised hope of forcing the game into overtime.
Fajardo was excited recalling the final moments of the game where his shot could have been the shot of the game, if not the series, if it went into overtime and San Miguel won it. Then Game 7 would have been the most watched game in PBA history.
With about five seconds left and San Miguel trailing 78-75, Simon Enciso had a hard time inbounding the ball into the hands of Marcio Lassiter. Then he found Fajardo who managed to free himself from his defender.
“Parang loose ball na lang yun. Ganda sana pero natalo e,” said Fajardo of that unexpected shot from deep which he converted before falling down to the floor.
“Pero maganda yung pagka bitaw, memorable yun para sa akin lalo nung na-shoot ko.”
Fajardo had another good look at the basket in the Beermen’s final play, but his three pointer back rimmed at the buzzer.
“Para kay Marcio (Lassiter ang inbound), pero wala na, nadepensahan si Marcio. Nakita ko nga si Simon (Enciso) sa gilid, pero pagtingin ko sa oras wala na,” he said of his decision to take San Miguel’s final attempt.
The loss denied San Miguel a record-extending 30th franchise championship, while spoiling Fajardo’s first finals loss in an all-Filipino conference after winning seven previously.
But Fajardo took things in stride. He says you win some, you lose some.
“Siyempre masakit yung matalo, pero ganun talaga ang buhay. Maybe time ng Meralco ngayon, para sa kanila yung championship na ito. I-congratulate natin ang Meralco maganda ang nilaro nila,” he said.
“Kami naman heads up. Hindi pa naman end of the world para sa amin. May next conference pa naman na puwede kaming mag-bounce back.”
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