Page 40 - Hello Philippines February 2016 'B' issue
P. 40
sport maka-back-to-back’
Returning Ranidel De Ocampo New PBA team Sports5’s Mahindra spoils
says Tropang TNT motivated Phoenix planning Blow By Blow Terrence Romeo’s
to defend Commissioner’s to ‘rebuild’ Reloaded 41-point explosion
Cup title- ‘Gusto naming franchise goes to after outgunning
through draft Maguindanao GlobalPort
Story on page 39 Story on page 39 Story on page 39 Story on page 39
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PHILIPPINE national men’s basketball team squad ever assembled for a major international
member Marc Pingris is glad to see his friend competition. ©FIBA photo
June Mar Fajardo back in dominant form on the
basketball court. That additional ceiling could give the
country its best chance to make it back to the
Pingris, who bonded with Fajardo over the Olympics, the biggest sporting spectacle in the
popular video game DOTA when they became world, for the first time since 1972.
teammates on the Gilas Pilipinas national team
three years ago, is feeling optimistic about Pingris represented the country in last year’s
the country’s chances in the Manila Olympic FIBA Asia Championship, which also served as a
Qualifying Tournament this July, especially with qualifier for the basketball tournament in the
his buddy re-joining the national pool after 2016 Rio Games. Without Fajardo, that Gilas
missing the team’s most recent campaign with squad came close to clinching an outright berth
an injury. but fell one game short, finishing runner-up to
host China.
“Masaya ako at maglalaro na ulit si June
Mar. Si June Mar ang pag-asa natin,” Pingris He believes that had the 6-foot-10 Fajardo
wrote in a text message to InterAksyon.com. been healthy last year, Gilas might just have
pulled off the feat.
Fajardo, the reigning back-to-back PBA
MVP, could join his long-time rival, seven-foot- “Malalaki lang talaga sila eh, pero kaya
tall Greg Slaughter, and naturalized player yung kalaban. Doon natin na-miss si June Mar,”
Andray Blatche to form the tallest Philippine added Pingris. n Rey Joble / InterAksyon.com / February
9, 2016 / 12:48 am
