By REYNALD MAGALLON
June Mar Fajardo is expected to get some few days rest as he hopes to find time to visit his mother’s grave after San Miguel’s title run in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup and before rejoining Gilas Pilipinas practice for the February window of the FIBA 2025 Asia Cup qualifiers.
The SMB gentle giant said that he plans to ask the Gilas management to give him some time to go back home in Cebu to visit his family following a grueling six-game Finals series against Magnolia.
“Gusto ko umuwi kasi gusto ko makita yung mama ko, gusto ko makita yung pamilya ko after nito, Gilas sunud sunod na yung (laro) next opening naman ng PBA sobrang hectic ng schedule ko,” said Fajardo who remained a consistent force for the Beermen who bagged their 29th PBA title – 10 of which with the 6-foot-10 center in tow.
“Magpapaalam muna ako kung pwede uwi muna ako, pakita muna ako kay mama,” he added.
The national team convened for its first practice under new head coach Tim Cone in a closed door session at the Inspire Gym in Laguna on Thursday, Feb. 15 less than 24 hours since SMB reigned supreme in the PBA Season 48’s first conference.
Aside from Fajardo, CJ Perez was also deemed excused for the first day of practice as the rest of the Nationals are expected to join the seven-day training camp.
Should their requests be granted, a couple of days rest would bode well for the two especially as they are also nursing some minor injuries during the Finals series.
Fajardo, for one, played through pain due to a calf injury in Games 5 and 6 while Perez, at some point in the series also sprained his ankle but managed to shake it off.
That however hardly slowed down the two with Fajardo finishing with 19 points and 12 rebounds and Perez firing away a playoff career-high 28 points in the title-clinching win.
