Together, coach Leo Austria and June Mar Fajardo won 11 championships for the San Miguel Beermen in the PBA.
CANDON CITY — For the first time ever, Leo Austria and June Mar Fajardo will find themselves on opposing ends when the PBA All-Star Game gets going Sunday, March 7.
Austria is already looking forward to going up against the nine-time MVP, with whom he won 11 championships in the PBA.
Austria will call the shots for the Solid North, while Fajardo banners its Southern counterparts.
“Ngayon lang (kami magkakalaban). Puwera doon sa DOTA,” he said with a hearty laugh. “(Ever since) magkakampi kami. Magkasama kami sa team.”
Asked if he could devise a ploy to tame the virtually unstoppable beast in the paint, Austria responded in the affirmative.
But since this is only an exhibition game, the amiable mentor wouldn’t risk exposing that.
“If it is a tournament, I know how to stop him,” he said.
“But it is just an exhibition game. I think everybody wants to play. You cannot plan the whole game because everybody’s deserving to play.”
The North team will go for a sixth straight win against Solid South in the 7:30 pm match at the Candon City Arena here.
Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.