Clash of giants erupts anew

“I really cannot say, but I’m hoping to emerge victorious over him this time.

The finals duel between San Miguel Beer and Ginebra for the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup title starting Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum will not only feature two of the best teams in the country.

It would also put into spotlight two of the best centers Cebu had ever-produced – June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel and Greg Slaughter of Ginebra.

Fajardo said he still vividly remembers the encounter between him and Slaughter as if it was only yesterday.

Donning the jersey of University of the Visayas, the 6-foot-10 Fajardo ran into the 7-foot Slaughter and University of Cebu in the best-of-five finals of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. in 2009.

The Webmasters emerged victorious, prompting Ateneo de Manila University to tap Slaughter in its campaign in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and Gilas Pilipinas.

Fajardo stayed in Cebu and went on to join San Miguel Beer in the Asean Basketball League before becoming the top overall pick in the 2011 PBA Draft.

And the stakes are much higher as they are at the forefront of two of the league’s most popular teams.

“We lost to them in the finals in Cebu,” said Fajardo, now a four-time PBA MVP, six-time PBA champion and six-time Best Player of the Conference awardee.

“I really cannot say, but I’m hoping to emerge victorious over him this time.”

Slaughter, whose professional career has been marred by injuries, shares the same sentiment, saying that the renewal of his rivalry with Fajardo is really something special.

“I would be looking for vengeance too,” said Slaughter, who was in sickbay the last time the Kings and Beermen met in the finals of the Philippine Cup last year.

“As competitors, June Mar and I are here to compete. We’re competing against each other since our CESAFI days and it’s just another opportunity to renew our rivalry.”

Fajardo said it is truly a blessing to meet his childhood rival in the finals anew.

“It’s just so heart-warming to realize that we will be facing each other in the finals again for the first time in nine years,” said Fajardo, whose rivalry with Slaughter is being compared by old-timers to that of Philip Cesar and Ramon Fernandez.

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