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DANNY I AND JUNEMAR FAJARDO:
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Petron’s lethal combination
“OH, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling.”
Danny Boy
(Irish Song)
* * *
FROM the bench where a dislocated shoulder a year ago had consigned him for most of the 38th PBA season, Danny Ildefonso hears the haunting hymn of the pipes, beckoning him to hang his jersey and unlace his shoes.
But the two-time MVP is a tenacious warrior and is giving himself at most two more years before he answers the call to retire.
His contract with Petron Blaze ends this month and he prays Boosters management will find him deserving of one more tour of duty.
“Alam naman ng Diyos kung ano ang best para sa’kin. At kung ibibigay Niya, sana ay makapaglaro pa ako ng mga dalawang taon,” says Danny I, the 1998 Rookie of the Year and back-to-back MVP winner in 2000 and 2001.
His rehabilitated shoulder is back to full strength and he has rejoined team practice at high speed after eight months of therapy.
“Malakas na siya,” he says, giving his shoulder a loud tap. “Sinubukan ko na ngang ibangga e. Ala ng sakit. Kumpiyansa na lang ang kailangan. Minsan kasi nasa isip ko pa yung nangyari e. Pero kundisyon naman ako kung biglang kailanganin.”
Though his “raise the roof” days are over, Ildefonso continues to help provide the Boosters with something he no longer can physically – a dominant presence inside in the form of 6-foot-10 rookie center Junmar Fajardo, whom the coaching staff has assigned to him as an understudy.
“Itinuturo ko sa kanya yung tamang positioning ng paa; kung papano niya magagamit yung advantage niya sa ilalim,” says Ildefonso, who works with his ward after regular scrimmage.
“Kailangan ma-establish niya yung presence niya sa loob. At wala munang perimeter shooting. Di ko pa itinuturo yon. Either dunk lang o subo talaga ang bola sa ring. Sa FIBA World sa Spain na niya kakailanganin yung mga jump hook kasi puro 7-footer na don. Saka ko ituturo yon sa kanya.”
Ildefonso doesn’t treat Fajardo with kid’s gloves – a lesson the former National University Bulldog has learned the hard way from experience.
“Nong panahon nina Coach Jong [Uichico] at Coach Ron [Jacobs], kumuha sila ng mga taong malalaki ang katawan para banggain ako,” says Ildefonso, recalling the jarring hits he received from wide bodies like Mon Fran, Onie Padilla, Cris Bolado and Benjie Bendillo. “Pinagpapalitan nila ako sa loob.”
The years of “hard labor” during San Miguel team practices toughened the kid from Urdaneta, Pangasinan for the physical demands of pro basketball.
“Malaki talaga ang naitulong sa’kin. At yan din naman ang ina-apply ko ke Junmar,” Ildefonso says. “Ipinadadama ko sa kanya pag praktis kung ano ang mga gagawin sa kanya sa game para nakahanda siya.”
The “intense” one-on-one sessions have reaped outstanding results.
Displaying some of his mentor’s trademark post-up moves, Fajardo has been a force to reckon with in the PLDT-Telpad PBA Governors’ Cup Finals, with Petron forging a winner-take-all Game 7 Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
In Game 6 alone, although he sat out most of the fourth quarter as Petron went with a smaller lineup for speed and sniping, Fajardo finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocked shots as the Boosters denied the San Mig Coffee Mixers outright championship, 99-88.
Ildefonso couldn’t be happier for Fajardo.
”Alam ko and dinaanan niyang hirap dahil halos ganoon din naman ang dinaanan ko,” he says. ”At kita ko sa kanya na willing siyang mag-improve at gumaling. Karapat-dapat lang na gumanda ang buhay niya dahil masipag siya at mabait na tao.”
Tonight, with Ildefonso on the bench to provide guidance, Fajardo will be unleashed once more by the Boosters on the Mixers to help Petron bag its 20th franchise championship.
If Fajardo and the Boosters pull it off after trailing 3-2 in the best-of-7 series, then the student would be returning the favor by gifting his mentor a cherished eighth title.
And in no way is this lost on Danny Ildefonso.
“Nakakatulong daw ako kay Junmar. Ewan ko, pero salamat din sa kanya dahil nakakatulong din naman siya sa’kin – sa pamamagitan ng mga bonuses,” says Ildefonso, laughing.
And probably with a two-year contract extension as well – to momentarily mute the pipes that are calling. (WJRHT)
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EDITORS' PICK
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