MANILA – San Miguel Beermen looks to rely on June Mar Fajardo’s height s it aims for a series lead in Game 5 of the 2019 Honda PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals tonight against TNT KaTropa at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Beermen head coach Leo Austria said he plans to utilize the 6-foot-11 frame of Fajardo once again for a 3-2 series edge.
The match starts at 7 p.m.
“(In Game 4) June Mar was able to play comfortably inside and that’s what we need from him,” said Austria. “The players understand what made us a great team in the past few years.”
“Yung key basket niya is what we’re looking from him since five years ago because that’s his advantage,” he added. “I’m thankful his teammates understand him dahil we won seven championships with him as the priority in the shaded area.”
Fajardo feasted on KaTropa’s undersized frontline in their 106-101 Game 4 victory Sunday evening. He finished the match with 22 points and seven rebounds to back up import Chris McCullough on offense.
The five-time PBA MVP awardee, Fajardo felt grateful that the Beermen kept their faith on him despite the struggles he went through in the first few games of the finals series.
“Hinahanap ako ng mga teammates ko. Kahit nagmimintis ako, pero hinahanap pa rin nila ako,” the Cebuano big man said. “Binibigyan nila ako ng kumpiyansa, kaya kailangan suklian ko ‘yung tiwala nila.”/PN
