June Mar Fajardo mum on now controversial 2018 title clincher for SMB

June Mar Fajardo could not anymore recall his monster game that helped San Miguel win the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup or anything fishy during that now controversial game. Dennis Acosta (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MAKATI—San Miguel Beer center June Mar Fajardo shied away from talking about Game 5 of the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Magnolia, which became viral after five years for the wrong reasons.

Fajardo, who was present during the formal presentation of the San Miguel Corporation as a FIBA World Cup partner on Tuesday at the Makati Diamond Residences as a Philippine ambassador for the said tournament, politely declined to discuss the said game, which became subject to an ongoing court trial in Singapore for alleged game-fixing.

"Hindi ko na maalala kung among nangyari noon," Fajardo explained to Dugout Philippines.

Fajardo posted monster numbers of 42 points, 20 rebounds, one assist, one block, and one steal in the said game where the Beermen won to clinch the championship.

However, his dagger layup with 8.5 seconds left became the turning point in terms of how the alleged scheme happened.

Koa Wei Quan allegedly offered Hotshot Ian Sangalang US$5,000 (nearly PHP280,000 as of Tuesday) to arrange a Magnolia loss by nine points or more.

The Purefoods franchise seemingly let Fajardo score once more in the end, and SMB won by exactly nine, 108-99.

Sangalang denied the accusations in a conversation with PBA commissioner Willie Marcial on Monday and is planning legal actions of his own against Koa.

[Related Story: Ian Sangalang suing Singaporean accuser after getting dragged to game-fixing case]

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno