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SAN MIGUEL BEER is heading to the quarterfinal playoff round of Season 48 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup with a healthy June Mar Fajardo around.
More than a month since the seven-time Season Most Valuable Player had injured his left hand on November 29, the Beermen did a lot of adjustments like replacing import Ivan Aşka with Bennie Boatwright Jr.
“I think he [Fajardo] can play in our next game against Blackwater,” San Miguel Beer coach Jorge Gallent said. “June Mar is doing good so far, and he’s recovering very well and we’re just waiting for the doctor’s go signal.”
The Beermen, who are now 4-2 without Fajardo, just routed Terrafirma, 132-110, on Sunday for their fourth straight victory leading them to seventh win in ten games.
They will be playing their last game in the elimination against already-eliminated Blackwater squad on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Boatwright posted 51 points and 12 rebounds against Terrafirma.
With a 7-3 win-loss record tied with sister team defending champion Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, the Beermen absolutely need the win against the Bossing to breakaway with the Gin Kings — and boost their chances of securing one of the four twice-to-beat incentives in the quarterfinals.
“We’ll see what the doctors say about June Mar,” Gallent added.
Meanwhile, the Gin Kings, now running fourth to fifth with the Beermen with similar 7-3 record, blasted NorthPort, 103-93, last Sunday despite Tony Bishop’s hurting knee.
Coach Tim Cone of Ginebra said everything is alright about his knee, noting that Bishop needs only a lot of icing on his right knee.
“We’ll check out his knee again and see if it continues to swell or it get worse,” Cone said. “But so far according to him, everything is good.”
Bishop was still able to rack up 26 points and 16 rebounds against the Batang Pier.
Ginebra will play NLEX on Saturday at the last day of the elimination round in Legazpi City, Albay.
They need the victory against the Road Warriors to keep their chances also alive for the twice-to-beat bonus.
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