Cebuano Fajardo makes PBA debut as Petron faces Rain or Shine

Games today:

Araneta Coliseum

5:15 p.m.- Air21 vs. Barako Bull

7:30 p.m.- Petron vs. Rain or Shine

CEBUANO BIG MAN June Mar Fajardo gets his baptism of fire in Asia’s first play-for-pay league when the powerhouse Petron Blaze Boosters clash with the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the main game of the newly opened 38th PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

The arrival of the behemoth Fajardo, the number overall pick in the rookie draft, further strengthened the Boosters’ already talented lineup, making the team one of the serious title contenders.

The Boosters, now coached by ex-pro Olsen Racela, still have a deep lineup despite trading another Cebuano star in Dondon Hontiveros to the Alaska Aces.

Leading the Boosters’ star-studded lineup are Arwind Santos, Jay Washington, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Lutz, Danny Ildefonso, Alex Cabagnot and Denok Miranda.

Rain or Shine will parade its own rookie star as former national team skipper Chris Tiu will be debuting with the newly crowned Governors’ Cup champions.

Tiu will be playing a major role in his rookie season as he tries to fill the void vacated by last season’s Rookie of the Year Paul Lee.

Lee will be out in the early stages of the tournament to rest a shoulder injury which he re-injured in the Governors’ Cup finals. The Painters won that gripping best-of-seven series against the favored B-Meg Llamados (now San Mig Coffee Mixers.)/EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA