June Mar Fajardo (left, right photo) sure to suit up after missing the sport against Macau along with Calvin Oftana (center) and Kai Sotto. —PHOTO BY MARLO CUETO
Of the three standouts who were on the sidelines when Gilas Pilipinas whipped up a second half rally to beat Macau in a friendly on Monday night, only June Mar Fajardo is certain of seeing motion within the Fiba Asia Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia next week.
There’s a really slim probability that gunner Calvin Oftana is likely to be playing, while 7-foot-3 center Kai Sotto has already been ruled out.
“He (Fajardo) may have two or three more days off from physical activities,” national coach Tim Cone said after a 103-98 victory over the Black Bears at Smart Araneta Coliseum, the send-off match for the PH Five. “But we expect him to start out practicing after we arrive there (in Jeddah).”
It’s a no brainer that the 11-time PBA champion and soon-to-be nine-time MVP Fajardo will likely be on the ultimate roster of Gilas in Jeddah, judging from the way in which the Cone talked in regards to the talented 6-foot-11 San Miguel Beer cornerstone.
And just because Sotto, who continues to be recovering from surgery that repaired an ACL tear, has practically been ruled out for the remainder of the yr.
Game changer
“He alters the sport for us,” Cone said after getting a superb game from AJ Edu, the one legitimate center he had at his disposal on Monday night. “We’ve to play a unique way with June Mar on the ground.
“He has such an impact that you might have to play in a different way when he’s on the ground.”
Gilas will touch down within the wealthy Middle Eastern country on Thursday and may have another tune-up match, which will likely be against Jordan. Fajardo is penciled to play in that game already.
Fajardo just won one other Best Player of the Conference award in helping the Beermen win one more Philippine Cup title, doing it on one good leg after he had pulled a calf muscle within the semifinals against Cone’s Barangay Ginebra crew.
AJ Edu (No. 34) scores on a dunk and draws a foul on this play against Quentin Millora-Brown. PHOTO BY MARLO CUETO
And while Fajardo will give you the chance to suit up despite playing hurt within the Finals against TNT, Tropang 5G gunslinger Oftana’s case is being treated in a different way.
“We’re undecided about Calvin,” Cone said when asked of the status of the prolific forward. “The medical reports showed that he is likely to be out slightly bit longer. That’s what we got to this point.
“We got a medical report from his camp so we’re undecided if he’ll be available for the entire tournament so we’ll try to deal with that soon.”
Oftana played the entire of the best-of-seven series on one good leg due to a twisted ankle, refusing to rest because TNT was already in such manpower trouble.
The Tropang 5G managed to win two games over the Beermen, and Oftana definitely delivered, shooting 19 points when the Beermen clinched the title in Game 6.