June Mar Fajardo faces grueling schedule with San Miguel, Gilas duties

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San Miguel Beermen’s June Mar Fajardo. –PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines–The schedule will not be so kind to June Mar Fajardo once San Miguel Beer completes its slate of games in the PBA Governors’ Cup this week.

Fajardo is hoping to make himself fresh as possible as he’s expected to suit up for Gilas Pilipinas in the sixth window of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers against Lebanon on Feb. 24 and Jordan on Feb. 27 at Philippine Arena.

He’ll resume his Beermen stint after the qualifiers, but in a different competition as San Miguel travels to Japan for the East Asia Super League Champions Week on March 1 to 5 and face Japan’s Ryukyu Golden Kings and South Korea’s Anyang KGC.

“I have to get some good rest and eat proper food because the schedule is going to be hectic,” said Fajardo in Filipino after the Beermen’s 145-132 triumph over the NorthPort Batang on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Aside from the two competitions—one for club and the other for country—Fajardo is expected to be part of the PBA All-Star festivities on March 9 to 12 in Passi City, Iloilo.

Many see Fajardo logging heavy minutes for Gilas since the national squad won’t be having big men Japeth Aguilar, Ange Kouame and Kai Sotto for various reasons.

But Fajardo is leaving it up to coach Chot Reyes and his staff to determine his playing time for the two games that Gilas may need to maximize as part of preparation for the World Cup in September.

“I’m not sure if that would be the case since we have enough big men to make up for their absence,” Fajardo said.