June Mar eyes return for SMB in PBA On Tour

If things go as planned, six-time league Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo could see action on June 28 when San Miguel Beer takes on NLEX in their PBA On Tour game at Ynares Center in Pasig City.

SMB team therapist Edward Bacason said Fajardo has been doing his knee rehab religiously after sustaining an MCL (medial collateral ligament) injury in the Beermen’s debut game versus the Ryukyu Golden Kings in the 2023 East Asia Super League last March.

June Mar Fajardo PBA PHOTO

“He’s been continuously doing his rehab. And by mid-June, he’ll be joining the full practice,” Bacason told the Manila Times on Monday.

“But if ever, he can play in the June 28 PBA On Tour game,” he added.

Since hurting his knee that saw him last for less than a minute in the weeklong EASL cage joust in Japan, the 6-foot-10 Cebuano big man has missed the Beermen’s entire Governors’ Cup campaign.

If at all, Fajardo’s possible return to action could be good news as well for Gilas Pilipinas, which is scheduled to start its FIBA World Cup build up on Wednesday.

The Philippine team is eyeing to play a series of games against Estonia, Finland, Latvia, the under-21 team of Lithuania, possibly a pocket tournament in China just weeks before the start of the FIBA World Cup that starts on August 25.