THE injury to prized center June Mar Fajardo has forced San Miguel Beer to make some drastic moves in the ongoing PBA Commissioner's Cup, foremost of which is to change its import.
According to a team insider, Devon Scott has been tapped by the Beermen to replace Diamond Stone heading to a crucial stretch in their mid-season campaign.
Scott, listed at 6'9 and 225 lbs, planed in Monday morning following a roundabout flight from Atlanta, Georgia, and is set to practice with SMB starting Tuesday.
A lot would be expected of Scott since he would be tasked with carrying most of the brunt for the Beermen, currently toting a 1-2 record, when they play four games in eight days starting with the match against Converge Friday at the PhilSports Arena.
And Scott and the remaining Beermen would have to make do without Fajardo, who is out at least a month after undergoing surgery on his throat. He sustained the injury during a collision with Rain or Shine import Steve Taylor in their match last Oct. 9.
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The source said team officials, led by representative to the Board Robert Non and team manager Gee Abanilla, have already apprised Stone and coach Leo Austria of the change.
Stone, a known scorer in the Taiwan league, was hurriedly tapped to replace original choice Thomas Robinson, who suffered a back injury just three days before SMB was set to launch its campaign against Blackwater last Oct. 5.
"Nagmamadali kami kaya kung sino available and siya (Stone) kasi ang ready to fly," related Austria in an earlier interview.
"Besides," added Austria, "sa video okay naman 'yung ipinakita niya sa Taiwan. Kung nandoon si June Mar, they could complement each other in our high-low (plays) kasi poste si June Mar and siya naman maganda touch from the outside."
That combination proved to be short-lived and fell way below expectations, however, when Fajardo suffered his injury and laid bare when SMB badly lost to Bay Area, 87-113, last Sunday in a game where Stone only had 11 points.
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In the three games he played here, Stone averaged 24.3 points and 11.6 rebounds while shooting 29-of-70 from the field and a woeful 4-of-25 from beyond the arc.
In comes Scott, who has plied his trade in Canada, Brazil, Italy, Argentina and, most recently, Korea after going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft. (NC)
