In June of this year, June Mar Fajardo found himself in a challenging situation on Sunday night. His on-court issues contributed to San Miguel's loss in Game 3 of the PBA championship series (PBA Philippine Cup).
He said to the reporters in Filipino following the team's 93-89 loss against the Meralco Bolts at Smart Araneta Coliseum, "That's just the way it is." They deserve praise for their outstanding performance during this series.
Fajardo, the unquestionably inspirational leader of the legendary team, finished the game with his lowest point total of 12 points, five of which were made field goals. Seven of the team's fifteen mistakes, which added to the Beermen's 2-1 deficit, were caused by the reigning Most Valuable Player, who is currently on pace to earn his ninth Best Player of the Conference title.
"They have a formidable defense. It has been tiring for me since they have a lot of big guys, and they rotate quickly," Fajardo remarked to the opposition. Players like Norbert Torres, Kyle Pascual, Brandon Bates, Raymond Almazan, and even the youthful talent Brandon Bates alternately defend the league's most dominant player.
CJ Perez, another reliable member of San Miguel, was not especially interested in blaming his star teammate's poor performance in this All-Filipino derby on anyone. Five of the tampered freebies were Perez's doing, and they followed a 75-all deadlock in the prize payout period. Furthermore, the spitfire guard thinks those contributed just as much to San Miguel's defeat.
However, upon closer inspection of the PBA Finals Game 3 stat sheet, it became clear that San Miguel lost both the assist and rebound races. The Bolts had 57 rebounds, compared to the Beermen's 50, and Meralco had 22 assists compared to the Beermen's 15 assists.
The squad, including Fajardo and Perez, could not overtake the opponents in terms of second-chance points (22–11), points in the paint (36–32), and error conversions (20–13).
We must make a serious effort to increase our energy to beat Meralco. It's a concern that we need to catch up on offensive rebounds. Their hustle is also a game, according to Perez. The cunning guard, nevertheless, is confident that such issues can be worked out during the team's two days off before PBA finals Game 4 takes place at the same venue on Wednesday. "We want to win, but we don't want to lose badly," he said, speaking of the rematch. "It will be crucial as we don't want to be crushed."
The next two days will be crucial for our rest. Furthermore, June Mar, as he is currently experiencing a really trying time, needs to get some sleep. Naturally, we must also make adjustments to whatever needs to be changed," Perez went on.
The fact that San Miguel has yet to lose back-to-back PBA finals games in this tournament may comfort Perez and Fajardo. The Beermen had only encountered it once this season, following their defeats by NorthPort and Magnolia in the Commissioner's Cup tournament, which they eventually won.
Fajardo's difficulties are an example of a larger issue in San Miguel. A major factor in their loss in Game 3 was their inability to control the boards and score on second chances. Fajardo's influence has significantly decreased due to Meralco's defense, especially that of its large men.
Fajardo has had difficulty finding his groove because of the effective rotation of Raymond Almazan, Brandon Bates, Norbert Torres, and Kyle Pascual, which has kept him in check. This cooperative effort has limited Fajardo's scoring potential and severely disrupted San Miguel's offensive rhythm.
Turnovers have frequently aggravated San Miguel as a squad. Fajardo's seven errors show how much pressure Meralco's defense has been putting on him. The Beermen will need to address these shortcomings and find ways to counter Meralco's defensive tactics if they hope to win the series.
San Miguel's perseverance will be tested as they prepare for PBA finals Game 4. The two days off provide an essential window of time for rest and readjustment. Fajardo and Perez must take the initiative and lead the charge to fix the team's deficiencies, especially with regard to rebounding and energy levels.
Perez's confidence in their ability to make the necessary modifications is promising. The squad is anticipated to find motivation from the fact that they have not lost in this event consecutively. San Miguel needs to take advantage of their experience and track record of winning titles to turn the tide against a competitive Meralco team.
It will be very interesting to see how the multi-award-winning San Miguel team tries to bounce back from their loss against a Meralco team keen to capitalize on their first-ever appearance in the Philippine Cup finals. Basketball lovers cannot miss this unique occasion because the result of Game 4 will probably dictate how the remainder of the series unfolds.
In Game 3, June Mar Fajardo struggled on the court, finishing with 12 points and attempting a season-low five field goals. Due to his struggles, the Meralco Bolts defeated San Miguel 93-89.
The Meralco Bolts played strong defense, rotating big men like Raymond Almazan, Brandon Bates, Norbert Torres, and Kyle Pascual to stop Fajardo. Finding his rhythm was tough for Fajardo because of their fast revolutions and vigorous play.
Fajardo praised Meralco's defense, noting that their rapid rotations and abundance of big men made it difficult for him to play efficiently.
In Game 3, CJ Perez also had trouble, missing crucial free throws that cost San Miguel the game. Before the next match, he stressed how critical it was for them to boost their energy and deal with their shortcomings.
San Miguel lost important statistical categories like rebounds (50 versus Meralco's 57) and assists (15 versus Meralco's 22). They also lagged in error conversions, second-chance points, and paint points.
San Miguel intends to rest and improve during the two-day vacation. To overcome Meralco's defense, they want to boost their energy levels, address their rebounding problems, and hone their overall plan.
How has San Miguel fared in the competition so far regarding consecutive defeats?
San Miguel has yet to drop back-to-back games in this tournament. Their only back-to-back defeats this season were from NorthPort and Magnolia in the Commissioner's Cup, which they ultimately prevailed in.
For San Miguel, the outcome of PBA finals Game 4 might significantly impact the series. They want to stay caught up and hope to use their championship history and experience to turn the tables on Meralco.
A competitive match up awaits fans as San Miguel attempts to recover from a setback against a motivated Meralco squad making its first-ever PBA finals appearance. The result of Game 4 will affect the rest of the series.
Meralco's first-ever Philippine Cup finals berth is noteworthy because it marks a turning point for the group. They want to seize this chance and join the esteemed San Miguel team.
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