‘THE Kraken’ is back.
Given the green light to finally play, June Mar Fajardo is expected to return in San Miguel’s active roster when the PBA ushers in Season 46 on April 9.
Alfrancis Chua, the San Miguel Corp. sports director, made the disclosure that's music to the ears of fans of the Beermen to welcome the New Year.
“He’s okay. We’re expecting him to play next conference or this season,” said Chua. “So far, okay siya.”
The SMC official said the wound from the operation of his shin injury is healing, although the injured leg is good as new.
“Doc (George) Canlas said may go signal na siya to play,” added Chua.
Fajardo missed the entire bubble season when he suffered the freak injury a week before the five-time champion Beermen began defense of their Philippine Cup title.
Obviously, San Miguel was a different team without its main anchor in the middle.
Although the team was good enough to finish at No. 4 by the end of the all-Filipino conference eliminations, the Beermen failed to deliver when the going got tough and were swept by the Meralco Bolts in their quarterfinals series.
Chua admitted the 6-foot-9 Fajardo is a difference-maker for the Beermen.
‘Iba siguro pag andun si June Mar,” he said. “Mabigat kung andun si June Mar.”
Not that he’s taking anything away from Barangay Ginebra, which became the first team to win the Philippine Cup outside of San Miguel since 2014.
Chua noted how the Kings beat Fajardo and the rest of the Beermen during the the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup finals when Justine Brownlee anchored Barangay Ginebra and Renaldo Balkman starred for San Miguel.
But a San Miguel unit complete with Fajardo inside the bubble could be a different story.
“Mag-iiba siguro talaga kung ang nakalaban San Miguel dahil doon sa tinatawag na match-up sa malalaki,” said Chua, also the Barangay Ginebra Board of Governor.
“Kasi si Japeth (Aguilar) and (Prince) Caperal mahihirapan. Again, siguro talaga lang nakalinya sa Ginebra na manalo ng conference sa bubble. Ika nga, nakalusot tayo, e.”
Barangay Ginebra beat TnT Tropang Giga for in five games of the finals for the first ever bubble championship.
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