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Fajardo expected to be more dominant after Gilas stint

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/sports/7/19/smb-jun-mar-fajardo-071916.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">San Miguel Beer&#x27;s June Mar Fajardo. Photo from the PBA Media Bureau</div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- Expect a much more improved June Mar Fajardo following his stint with Gilas Pilipinas at the recent FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).Alaska coach Alex Compton, who served as one of Tab Baldwin’s deputies during the tournament, noted that Fajardo gained a lot of experience playing against the big men of Italy and Turkey while they were preparing for the Olympic qualifiers.The San Miguel star also went face-to-face against the taller guys of France and New Zealand during the tournament proper.Among those who tested the Filipino center were the likes of NBA veterans Andrea Bargnani and Danilo Galinari of Italy, Omer Asik of Turkey and France’s Boris Diaw, Joffrey Lauvergne and Florent Pietrus.READ: <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/news/2016/07/18/junemar-fajardo-fitness-model-13415">Junemar Fajardo, the fitness model?</a>Compton said Fajardo will now have an easier time playing in the PBA.“He’s not gonna be matching up against Omer Asik [in the PBA] and he’s not playing against systems that are constantly sprinting into ball screens and making him run up, run down and worried about [taller centers],” Compton told <a href="http://www.foxsportsasia.com/basketball/news/detail/item425202/alex-compton-expects-dominant-june-mar-fajardo-gilas-stint/">Fox Sports Asia</a>.The coach also pointed out that not every team in the PBA has someone like Fajardo -- and this certainly gives the Cebuano an edge.“When does June Mar have to guard a lights-out three-point shooter like [Andrea] Bargnani [in the PBA]?” Compton said, referring to the 7-foot Italian. “It’s a different thing, so I think he got better during Gilas.”“It’s not like every team has a June Mar. There’s only one June Mar in the whole country.”For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.

Expect a much more improved June Mar Fajardo following his recent stint with Gilas Pilipinas at the recent FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).

Expect a much more improved June Mar Fajardo following his recent stint with Gilas Pilipinas at the recent FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).