On Danny Ildefonso and June Mar Fajardo
Danny Ildefonso did not want to think about their game against the Petron Blaze Boosters. After his debut with the Meralco Bolts, all the members of the media who converged around Ildefonso wanted to know how he thinks he will match up against his student June Mar Fajardo.
The two time PBA MVP refused to talk about it, saying they're taking it one game at a time. But how could he not think about it? How could he not think about facing a weapon he sharpened? A weapon that is now pointing at him.
As soon as Petron got the number one selection in the 2012 PBA Draft, Ildefonso already knew that his role was going to steer away from contributing on the floor to training Fajardo.
The lessons were daily and varied. Ildefonso shared how to post up, how to defend, and how to properly interact with fans. Fajardo learned how to be a pro, how to eat properly and to stay healthy, and how to be a good teammate.
Fajardo could have learned so much more from Ildefonso but their mentorship was ended abruptly, a casualty of the war that is the PBA.
They would be together again on the PBA floor, not as teammates but as opponents. When Ildefonso stepped into the court, everyone anticipated his match-up with Fajardo.
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The mentor refused to shake his student’s hand, not as a sign of disrespect but a continuation of his education. Friendships don’t matter on the court. It’s all about winning.
In one of the instances the two were against each other, Ildefonso shook off Fajardo with a spin move and a basket. The fans who stuck with Petron would say it was Fajardo’s way of making his mentor look good. Those who moved with Ildefonso to Meralco would say it was evidence that Ildefonso shouldn't have been cast aside.
In another instance, Fajardo caught Ildefonso off-guard with a move his victim taught him. The fans who stuck with Petron took it as a sign that Fajardo is more than ready to make the PBA his league. The fans who moved to Meralco thought Ildefonso simply returned the favor.
It was a pretty sight to see as the two competed fiercely even there was deep friendship, maybe even love between the two. Like Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels in Wrestlemania 24, the two put on a show. Fajardo had 19 points, 17 rebounds, and two assists. Ildefonso wasn’t too far behind with 17 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and five blocks.
In the end, like the wrestling match, the younger guy won but the loss made the older guy more appreciated.
The game was another lesson from Ildefonso to Fajardo. That iba na ang may pinagsamahan, that samahang walang katulad could exist beyond allegiances. That it could thrive even if different names are printed in front of their jerseys. That it could live on as long as the people believe in it.
Come the 2014 Commissioner’s Cup, the San Miguel Beermen will make their return to the PBA. For the first time in more than a decade, SMB in the PBA will be without DI. But their fans shouldn’t worry. There is still some Lakay left in that team and it lives in June Mar Fajardo, it lives in every player there who learned how to be Beermen because of Ildefonso.
ALSO READ: Ildefonso finds new purpose with Meralco
Meralco versus Petron was a lot of things. It was a chance to finish in the top two for Petron. It was flirting with disaster for Meralco. But more than this, more than just basketball, it was about feelings and relationships.
For SMB/Petron fans, closure as it finalizes the break-up they have long been dealing with.
For Fajardo, confirmation as his skills were displayed against the very man who taught him.
For Ildefonso, assurance; that he is a good mentor, a good teammate, that the San Miguel, the team he has loved for so very long, is in good hands. He may not have left the Petron Blaze Boosters in the best of terms but his 15 years of service and his final act of service in training Fajardo should cement his legacy as one of the best Beermen ever.
