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PBA: Fajardo cherishes latest championship after long road back from injury

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="San Miguel" s="" June="" Mar="" Fajardo="" celebrates="" after="" their="" triumph="" in="" the="" PBA="" Philippine="" Cup="" Finals.="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/life/09/05/20220905-pba-fajardo.jpg"/><figcaption>San Miguel&#x27;s June Mar Fajardo celebrates after their triumph in the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup Finals. <em>PBA Images.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- San Miguel big man June Mar Fajardo is now a nine-time champion in the PBA, and while he cherishes each one, his latest title carries a special significance.</p><p>Fajardo was unstoppable in the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup, earning Best Player of the Conference honors and leading the Beermen to the finals. There, he averaged 19 points, 16.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting nearly 70% from the field.</p><p>The &quot;Kraken&quot; deservedly got the Finals MVP award, adding yet another trophy to a collection that already includes six PBA Most Valuable Player awards and three other Finals MVP plaques.</p><p>&quot;Masaya kami na nakabalik kami on top. Nag-champion kami ngayon,&quot; the soft-spoken big man said after the celebrations at the Araneta Coliseum were over, when the beer and confetti were being cleared off the floor.</p><p>&quot;Hindi ganun kadali &#x27;yung pinagdaanan namin. Ilang years din kami &#x27;di naka-champion,&quot; he noted. &quot;Masaya kami na nag-champion kami ngayon. Kailangan namin i-cherish &#x27;yung moment na &#x27;to.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/04/22/after-3-years-san-miguel-regains-all-filipino-crown">GAME RECAP: After 3 years, San Miguel regains All-Filipino crown</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/04/22/fajardo-caps-dominant-all-filipino-campaign-with-finals-mvp">READ: June Mar Fajardo caps dominant All-Filipino campaign with Finals MVP</a></li></ul><p>The championship was San Miguel&#x27;s first since the 2019 PBA Commissioner&#x27;s Cup. While a gap of three years may seem short to any other team, for the Beermen -- a team used to winning at least one title every season -- it must&#x27;ve felt like an eternity.</p><p>Making the championship all the more precious is that it came after Fajardo suffered a gruesome leg injury, along with a painful personal loss. In February 2020, he broke his leg, forcing him to miss an entire season. When he received his sixth MVP trophy in March of that year, he entered the Big Dome on a scooter.</p><p>The trials did not end there: last October, Fajardo&#x27;s mother, Marites, passed away. It was a big blow to Fajardo, who considered his mother as one of his greatest inspirations both on and off the court. </p><p>&quot;Hindi ganun kadali &#x27;yung pinagdaanan ko. Na-injure ako -- grabe &#x27;yung injury ko,&quot; Fajardo recalled. &quot;Halos two years akong na-sideline.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Ayun pa, &#x27;yung nangyari pa sa family namin,&quot; he added.</p><p>With the help of his doctors and trainers, Fajardo has moved past the injury and regained his place as the league&#x27;s most dominant force. His mother, meanwhile, remains on his mind always: he dedicated the season to her and has set up a fundraising campaign in her honor. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/08/22/smbs-fajardo-to-donate-p200-for-every-point-scored">READ: SMB&#x27;s Fajardo to donate P200 for every point scored</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Lahat naman ng nangyayari sa buhay natin, may plano naman si God e. &#x27;Di ka naman bibigyan ni God ng trials na &#x27;di mo kaya [lampasan] &#x27;di ba?&quot; said Fajardo. &quot;Thankful lang ako sa mga taong nandun nangga-guide sa&#x27;kin, sumusuporta sa&#x27;kin, nagtitiwala sa&#x27;kin.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Lagi ko silang pinapasalamatan, lagi ko silang sinasama sa prayers ko,&quot; he added.</p><p>With their goal for the Philippine Cup now accomplished, Fajardo said it&#x27;s time for him to go home for a while. His first order of business is to visit his mother at their local cemetery.</p><p>&quot;Tatambay ako roon,&quot; he says. &quot;Siyempre, na-miss ko siya. Ilang months din na hindi ko siya nabisita.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Uwi muna ako, relax muna. Fishing muna,&quot; he adds. &quot;Tanggalin ko muna sa isip ko &#x27;yung basketball kasi exhausted kami, para fresh naman pagbalik.&quot;</p><div><strong>PBA Season 47 games can be streamed live and on-demand on iWantTFC with a Premium subscription, available worldwide except PH and US.</strong></div><p>RELATED VIDEO:</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iouw65I1qt8?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

San Miguel big man June Mar Fajardo is now a 9-time champion in the PBA, and while he cherishes each one, his latest title carries a special significance.

PBA: Fajardo cherishes latest championship after long road back from injury

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PBA: Fajardo cherishes latest championship after long road back from injury

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 05, 2022 05:06 PM PHT

Read More:

basketball

PBA

PBA Philippine Cup

San Miguel Beermen

June Mar Fajardo

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