BENGALURU, India – June Mar Fajardo formally joined the PBA’s 10,000 points club during San Miguel’s ongoing Season 50 Governors’ Cup meeting with NLEX on Wednesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The league’s only nine-time MVP made his entry to the exclusive list with a front hook shot off a spin against Dave Marcelo at the 2:22 mark of the opening period, tying things as well at 24-all in the battle for the no. 1 seed in Group A.
Per PBA stats chief Fidel Mangonon III, the Cebuano star has now become the 19th member of the list, and only the fifth in Beermen history to do so after greats Abet Guidaben, Norman Black, Allan Caidic, and Nelson Asaytono.
He has also become the second active player to reach the milestone after Jayson Castro, who did it in TNT’s 96-93 win over, coincidentally, the Road Warriors during the Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals last May 13.
The last time that two players hit 10K career points in the same season was in 1987, when Philip Cezar and Abet Guidaben became the fifth and sixth members of the club after Atoy Co, Ramon Fernandez, Bogs Adornado, and Francis Arnaiz.
Fajardo could have actually accomplished the feat during their eventual 135-105 demolition of Terrafirma exactly a week ago, but ultimately decided to sit out the entire fourth quarter to allow the other SMB guys to play more.
He already had 25 points and 12 rebounds after three and could have chased the record since he was just five points away, but simply did not.
“Hindi ko naman chine-chase ‘yung ano, pero thankful ako na mapapasama ako roon sa 10,000 points club. Isang karangalan na mapabilang ako roon,” he was quoted as saying. “Pero, hindi ko hinahabol. Darating at darating ‘yun.”
It did come seven days later, scoring all the needed points in just the first quarter to finally join the list headed by no less than ‘El Presidente.’
