Rain or Shine, San Miguel seek 2-1 lead; All eyes on Fajardo
Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao has repeatedly bared his gameplan against San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo.
“We have to make life difficult for June Mar. If this goes to a Game 7 we’ll give him hell for seven games,” said Guiao, referring to the Smart Bro-PBA Philippine Cup semifinals series that resumes Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“We know he is going to be the focal point of their offense, he will get his touches, impose his size and weight inside,” added Guiao. “But our hope is, if he is going to play 40 minutes and we can extend the series to seven games baka p’wedeng lantang gulay na rin siya in the end. Pahihirapan namin siya. Iyun lang ang chance namin. The longer this series goes the better for us.”
His SMB counterpart, Leo Austria, is acutely aware of Rain or Shine’s strategy. Problem is, he and his staff are hard-put to do anything about it at the moment.
“I think we have to do something different para maiwasan iyung kay June Mar,” said Austria. “He cannot do everything by himself.”
That Guiao ploy, including keeping the game pace fast, has already bore fruit when his Elasto Painters won 105-97 last Thursday to bounce back from a Game 1 collapse that led to a 105-109 loss.
Through those games Fajardo has been averaging 37 points, 17.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks. But he is also averaging 40.5 minutes a night, a pace very much to Guiao’s liking.
“Si June Mar, tingin ko, talagang gastado dahil talagang pinagtra-trabaho namin siya,” said Guiao.
The wear and tear starting to creep up on the 6-10 behemoth could be gleaned from his free throw shooting, which is currently at 22-for-34, percentage-wise slightly down from his eliminations clip of 68-for-101. He even missed six out of 10 free throw attempts in the fourth quarter of Game 2.
“Bandang huli hindi naman nag-mi-miss sa free throws iyon,” noted Guiao.
Guiao and Austria are one in saying that Fajardo’s relievers should be able to do their share.
“I guess ang gagawin nila kasi nga mabilis ang pace ng laro they’ll have to use their bench more,” offered Guiao.
That is easier said than done for Austria.
“It’s hard, to get players from the bench to deliver,” he said. “I’ve been trying to give them some playing time, but every time they are inside nawawala ang rhythm namin. That’s why I have to leave June Mar inside.”
“I’m really worried about him, but the situation needs him to be inside. Even him he wants to get back on court. Gusto niyang manalo, kita sa mukha niya ang determination.”
The likes of Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot, Ronald Tubid, Chris Lutz and Marcio Lassiter could help ease the pressure off Fajardo inside by connecting from deep.
Even Chris Ross delivered the three-point goods in the comeback from as many as 22 points down in the opener, but hardly none at all in Game 2 that saw the Beermen fall into a 25-point-deep hole..
The Beermen finding their touch from way outside is something Guiao is wary of.
“Alam ko kasi na kapag pumutok ang shooting nila, tapos mayroon ka pang iniintinding Fajardo sa loob, mauubusan ka talaga doon,” he said.
Austria said opening up his snipers against Rain or Shine’s tenacious defenders is one adjustment they have to make.
“Kung mag-ki-click ‘yung outside shooting namin… but I think it’s hard dahil ‘yung defense nila very suffocating. Talagang extended sa mga shooters namin,” he stated.
“Kaya tomorrow (Friday) maybe we’ll just watch the videos, give the boys, especially June Mar, some rest. And we’ll also tell our shooters to stay focused and follow our gameplan.”
No matter what tinkering SMB does Rain or Shine plans on sticking with its basic gambit against Fajardo.
“Iyon lang ang pag-asa namin kaya tuloy lang. Kung kaya namin siyang pagurin, baka bumagal siya ng kaunti,” said Guiao.
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