All eyes on Cebuano Fajardo as PBA’s Petron Blaze faces Cesafi selection today

Games today:

Cebu Coliseum

1:30 p.m. – All-star game (Jrs.)

4 p.m. – Slam Dunk competition/three-point shootout

5 p.m. – Cesafi All Stars vs. Petron Blaze

Former University of Cebu ace June Mar Fajardo makes his triumphant return to his old stomping grounds as he leads his new squad, the Petron Blaze Boosters, against his former contemporaries, the all stars of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) in an exhibition match that is the highlight of the Cesafi All Star Festivities today at the Cebu Coliseum.

Fajardo, the 6-foot-10 gentle giant out of Pinamungahan town southwestern Cebu, used to proudly don the yellow and blue jersey as he led the Webmasters to two crowns in the Cesafi, while racking up two MVP awards.

Ironically, he will be on the opposite side of the bench as he banners the colors of Petron, the squad that picked him first in the 2012 PBA Draft last month.

Playing alongside Fajardo today will be several marquee names led by perennial MVP contender Arwind Santos, Joseph Yeo, Alex Cabagnot, Jay Washington, third pick Alex Mallari, Dennis Miranda and many-time league MVP Danny Ildefonso. In sick bay are Dorian Pena, Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz.

Another Cebuano, Dondon Hontiveros, was supposed to join the Petron lineup but was traded recently to the Alaska Aces squad for Hans Thiele and Wesley Gonzales.

Leading the Cesafi side are Phil Mercader, John Abad, Eman Calo, Jerome Silva, Wowie Escosio, Rene Saycon and Cameroonian Steve Akomo of the University of the Visayas; UC’s power guard Brian Heruela, the University of San Carlos’ wingman Mike Cantonao, Cebu Institute of Technology-University’s forward Allan Dimco, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation’s sniper Joseph Sedurifa, Sothwestern University’s lefty Monbert Arong and the University of San Jose-Recoletos frontline of Abulaiz Suliman and Miguel Tabaloc.

SWU’s Ben Mbala was originally selected but an injury he suffered in the quarterfinals forced him out, leading him to be subbed by his teammate Justin Aboude.