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By ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Friday, February 24, 2017
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THE BARANGAY Ginebra San Miguel Kings is facing one huge problem heading into its 2016-2017 Oppo PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven finals with the San Miguel Beermen – stopping June Mar Fajardo.
Kings head coach Tim Cone admitted that he still has no game plan on how to stop the reigning three-time PBA MVP awardee Fajardo, who is hoping to lead the Beermen to its third straight All-Filipino Cup championship.
“If I tell I you (how we will defend June Mar), I’d have to kill you,” Cone jokingly told the media during the pre-finals press conference on Wednesday afternoon at Sambokojin restaurant in Eastwood.
“It’s a secret. Actually, we don’t know,” he added. “I don’t even have a plan yet to stop June Mar. I’m not even sure if there is a plan to stop him. I don’t think even Phil Jackson will figure out how to stop June Mar.”
“I don’t have a plan yet since I haven’t watched a (Beermen) game in three weeks. I don’t like to watch the other series when we’re focused on the one you have. Now, I have to make habol to catch up with San Miguel,” Cone said.
Cone added that the Kings could have easily matched up to Fajardo’s size if not for starting center Gregory Slaughter being out for the rest of the conference due to a knee injury he suffered last year.
“We even have a problem stopping (Hotshots center Jean) Mark (Pingris), what more with June Mar?” Cone asked. “The job could have been easy for us if Greg is there playing.”
With the absence of former PBA Rookie of the Year awardee Slaughter, the task of stopping Fajardo will fall on Japeth Aguilar and undersized big men Jervy Cruz, Dave Marcelo and Aljon Mariano.
Cone also has 6-foot-11 Jericho De Guzman and Raymon Jamito at his disposal but the 19-time PBA champion coach is not utilizing his rookie big men unless the game is far from reach.
However, Beermen head coach Leo Austria refused to buy into the pronouncements of Cone saying that he believes that the Kings tactician had his players prepared for the titular showdown.
“Actually, Coach Tim Cone is my idol. He’s the great coach in the Philippines right now,” said Austria. “I know he has a plan on how to beat us also ‘yung nangyari sa amin sa semifinals, it’s a good help for our team.”
“I just want to point out that June Mar is not the only one (who’s the reason for our success),” Austria added. “We keep on winning not only because of June Mar, but also his teammates.”
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Two grandsons of boxing legend Gabriel “Flash” Elorde are set to defend their WBO crowns when they face boxers from Thailand and Indonesia in “Boxing Kontra Droga” card on Feb. 25 at the Elorde Sports Center in Parañaque City.
Juan Martin “Bai” Elorde will face Thai boxer Aekkawee Kaewmanee in his first defense of the WBO Oriental lightweight championship he won via unanimous decision over Indonesian Musa Letding in March 2016.
The 32-year-old Elorde comes into the fight with a more impressive ring record of 21-1-0, with eight knockouts, seeking a win that will line him up for a world title bout. The Thai has a ring record of 16-7-0, with six KOs.
Younger brother Juan Miguel “Migs” Elorde, 30, will stake his WBO Asia super bantamweight title against Indonesian Erick Deztroyer (8-4-1). Migs Elorde carries a record of 22-1-0, with 11 KOs.
The two championship bouts are the highlights of a triple championship which includes the Philippine featherweight title match between defending champion Randy Braga and Caloocan City’s Kandy Cris Leon.
The “Boxing Kontra Droga” is held by the Johnny Elorde Management International in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Manila Premier. The triple championship starts at 5 p.m./PN
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