San Miguel is confident that Most Valuable Player candidate June Mar Fajardo will be able to return to action next month without any hitches after an injury to his right shin sidelined him for eight weeks.
Team manager Gee Abanilla said Fajardo is currently working on his conditioning since the protective boot around his injured shin was removed several weeks ago. But Fajardo, according to Abanilla, has yet to participate in the Beermen's daily practices at the Acropolis gym.
"He's on schedule but has not participated yet in practice. He is doing his own conditioning monitored by our head PT," said Abanilla, adding that it may take a few more weeks for the injury to fully heal.
Fajardo was diagnosed with the injury in late-August and had missed the Beermen's first two games in the PBA Governors' Cup. Barring any problems, the 6-foot-10 center will return late next month or during the latter part of the eliminations.
San Miguel split its first two games. It beat NLEX (125-112) in its opening assignment before losing to Blackwater (103-100) last week.
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His absence has seen a more productive showing from Christian Standhardinger, who averaged 28 points in the two games highlighted by a career-high 36 against NLEX last Sept. 1.
The injury also left Fajardo skipping the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers against Iran and Qatar.
"Sayang kasi hindi ako nakalaro pero hindi ko pwedeng ipilit kasi yun ang advice ng doctor," Fajardo said earlier this month.(JT)
