June Mar Fajardo is definitely back.
Besides winning the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup’s Best Player of the Conference, the gentle giant from Cebu also copped the Finals Most Valuable Player award.
This is the 32-year-old big man’s fourth Finals MVP plum, winning it as well during the 2015 Governors’, 2017–18 Philippine, and 2019 Philippine Cups. He tied Danny Siegle, James Yap, and LA Tenorio for most Finals MVP awards in league history.
Against archrival TNT, Fajardo posted his usual numbers of 19.0 points and 16.57 rebounds. He had a double-double in almost every game, except during Game Two.
It has been trying times for Fajardo heading into this conference.
It was just two years ago when he broke his right tibia. Then just last year, he lost his beloved mother Marites.
And with him towing the Beermen back to the top, the Kraken that everyone knows and love has returned.
Besides the Finals MVP plum, Fajardo also brought home a Honda PCX 160.
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The second game of each PBA gameday is live-streamed on SMART Sports.