Cebuano big man Fajardo to lead SMB-Philippines' ABL campaign

Cebu's highly-touted big man Junmar Fajardo will lead the San Miguel Beermen-Philippines' inaugural campaign in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL). San Miguel Corporation sports director Noli Eala, in a tweet, said the 6-foot-10 University of Cebu Webmaster will banner the Beermen coached by seven-time PBA best import Bobby Parks for the ABL's third season which opens in January next year. Junjun Cabatu, Hafer Mondragon, Jan Colina, Norman Gonzales, Jason Deutchman and Marlon Basco will join Fajardo in SMB's frontcourt. Filipino-American Chris Banchero, Froilan Baguion, Allan Manguhas, Benedict Fernandez, RJ Rizada and Kelvin Dela Peña are the other members of the team. Fajardo, after a dominant performance in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc., hopes his presence inside the paint are enough to help the Beermen clinch the crown against the top teams in Southeast Asia. But Fajardo won't do it alone as he will have Fil-Am recruits Banchero and Deutchman and former amateur standouts Baguion and Mangahas as supporting cast. Banchero played for the Seattle Pacific University Falcons in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference at the US NCAA's Division II while Deutchman is a former San Diego State University standout who played for Pharex in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup. Baguion was the Chang Thailand Slammers' point guard when they captured the ABL's season two crown against the Philippine Patriots. Mangahas recently handled the point guard chores for the Mapua Cardinals in the recent NCAA season. Prior to Mangahas, Dela Peña was the star for the Cardinals winning the NCAA Most Valuable Player award in 2007 as he looks to revive his career with the Beermen. The Beermen is the second Philippine team in the ABL with the Patriots expected to give them a challenge in regaining the country's supremacy in the league. The Patriots recently beefed up their coaching staff with the hiring of PBA legendary import Billy Ray Bates as their skills coach. — Reuben Terrado/JVP, GMA News