PBA: Amid conference-best, June Mar Fajardo sacrifices going for 10K points for team

June Mar Fajardo showed that he is a good teammate to his fellow Beermen by giving up his chance to enter the 10,000 Points Club to give them their moments. PBA Images

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—Amid George King's explosive 44-point performance to lead San Miguel to a 135-105 win against Terrafirma, June Mar Fajardo also delivered significant contributions.

Fajardo, who was named the Best Player of the Game, put up 25 points on 9-for-11 shooting, 12 rebounds, and two assists.

However, as he hit his last points of the game in the third quarter, word went abuzz that the only nine-time PBA MVP had already amassed 9,995 total points in Asia's premier professional basketball league.

Fajardo needed only five points in the fourth quarter to become the 19th member of the PBA's elite 10,000 Points Club.

Coach Leo Austria admitted that he thought about giving Fajardo the career milestone moment.

"Actually gusto ko sana siyang ibalik in the fourth quarter because of that milestone," Austria said after the victory.

However, with the outcome already settled by that time, Austria said that no less than Fajardo himself requested to let his teammates get their playing time.

"He refused to do that because he wants his teammates to play and to have a long playing time inside dahil alam naman yan na next game talagang nandoon pa rin yung chances. And then after that, may quarterfinals pa. And that's the good thing for a great player like him. Talagang he's thinking of his teammates," Austria further said.

Fajardo also said that he did not mind not getting the career milestone on Wednesday night as there are still some other times to clinch it.

"Darating at darating din yun," Fajardo said.

The Beermen will next face the NLEX Road Warriors, and based on the trend, the game could decide which team will enter the quarterfinals as the top seed in Group A.

"I think we have to work hard and play to win, because it could give us a lot of confidence if we beat NLEX. Because for me, they are the top contender, and kitang-kita mo naman yung laro nila. And we have to step up, and then we have to get the mentality of the player to play on time," Austria further said.

With the playoff atmosphere expected in the SMB-NLEX game, expect Fajardo to get the needed five points to go 10,000 early on.

As early as now, though, Fajardo is already thankful.

"Thankful ako na makapasama rin ako sa 10,000 points club. Isang karangalan na makabilang doon," Fajardo said.