The Kraken Unbound: San Miguel’s High-Stakes Bet on June Mar Fajardo
The PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals have lived up to the billing, as the heavyweight clash between Barangay Ginebra and the San Miguel Beermen stands deadlocked at 1-1.
Through two games, "The Kraken" has put up numbers that seem plucked from a video game, proving that despite the emergence of younger stars, the road to the PBA title still runs through the 6-foot-10 pride of Cebu.
By the Numbers: Dominance in the Paint
Fajardo hasn't just been "good"; he has been historically dominant.In both the Game 1 loss and the Game 2 win, he notched back-to-back 23-rebound performances, a feat that anchors the Beermen's entire tactical approach.
| Game | Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Result |
| Game 1 | 40 | 27 | 23 | L (90-99) |
| Game 2 | 44 | 21 | 23 | W (93-84) |
Analysis: The Formula for Success
In Game 1, Fajardo’s monster double-double wasn't enough because the Beermen struggled from the charity stripe (15-of-31) and their bench was outscored 54-29.
In Game 2, however, San Miguel adjusted. While the "Fajardo Formula" remained—feeding him in the post and letting him vacuum up every miss—they found the necessary perimeter support. Jeron Teng, after being "DNP" (Did Not Play) in the opener, provided the scoring punch San Miguel lacked, proving that even a titan like Fajardo needs a spark plug to close out games.
"Win and Die with Fajardo"
The strategy is simple yet grueling: play June Mar until the wheels fall off. In Game 2, Fajardo played a staggering 44 minutes. For a player of his size and age (36), this level of usage is a double-edged sword.
The Reward: Total control of the glass and a constant "gravity" that forces Ginebra’s defense to collapse, leaving shooters like Marcio Lassiter open.
The Risk: Fatigue is real. In the fourth quarter of Game 1, Ginebra was able to "weather the storm" because they pushed the pace, testing the endurance of the SMB frontline.
Can Ginebra Survive the Kraken?
Coach Tim Cone has tried everything—Norbert Torres, Japeth Aguilar, and even small-ball lineups—to lure Fajardo out of the paint. While they stole Game , they learned in Game 2 that even a "quiet" scoring night for June Mar (21 points) is a nightmare when he is corralling 23 rebounds and limiting Ginebra to one shot per possession.
Bottom Line: San Miguel has no Plan B, and they don't need one. As long as Fajardo can stay on the floor for 40+ minutes, they are the favorites to take the series.
What’s next? Game 3 is set for Friday, January 9, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Related Article: PBA Draft Controversy: Ginebra #1 pick in the 2nd round is free agent again! One more chance?
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