Fajardo is now ready to play – Leo Austria

SIX-time Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Most Valuable Player (MVP) June Mar Fajardo is healthy and now ready to play, according to San Miguel Beermen head coach Leo Austria.

“[The last] time the whole team held a meeting, he was asked if he’s ready to play, and he said ‘I’m ready.’ He’s eager to play,” Austria shared during Noli Eala’s “Power and Play” program on Saturday.

Austria did not say if Fajardo would be fielded right away if and when the 46th Philippine Cup would begin, but he shared that the 6’10” cager would undergo minutes restriction in the first few games of his PBA return.

“The first few games will be his period of adjustment, but knowing June Mar, it’s easy for him,” said Austria of Fajardo, who suffered a complete fracture on his right tibia during a team practice in February last year, forcing him to miss last season’s Philippine Cup.

“We have to study [the minute restrictions]. From time to time, we’re monitoring if he’s finally allowed to play the whole game. We want him to be back to his old form, but it will take time,” Austria added.

While Fajardo suffered a setback in his recovery last March when the wound from the surgery of his fractured tibia reportedly got infected and needed minor surgery. Austria said Fajardo has already gained ground from such hiccup.

“He had a setback in his recovery, but with these delays, he was able to recover. In fact, before the lockdown, he’s starting court drills already as well as laterals and forward and backward. Supposedly, the following week he could have a 5-0 with the team. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 cases spiked, and we were forced to rest again,” Austria continued.

The head coach was alluding to the limited drills Fajardo and the rest of the Beermen as well as other teams were doing before the imposition of a strict lockdown in the National Capital Region plus stopped the training since March 29.

On Friday, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases finally allowed the PBA teams to begin its scrimmages in areas under general community quarantine and modified general community quarantine. The PBA is eyeing a May 18 start for the teams’ scrimmages in Batangas City.

Even with the inevitable minutes restriction for Fajardo, Austria firmly believes that his prized ward would make an easy transition.

“We know June Mar. It’s easy for him because we know how he trains and the discipline he shows. In fact, he’s training every day and doing his rehab, strengthening,” the head coach said.

He added that Terrence Romeo, who had a right shoulder injury in the 2020 Philippine Cup, has already recovered too.

“Health wise, so far, so good [for San Miguel]. Terrence Romeo has already recovered last December, and he could [now] play a whole game,” the head coach concluded.