UC won't loan Fajardo to RP Team

CEBU - University of Cebu Webmasters team manager Atty. Baldomero C. Estenzo announced yesterday that the UC management stood pat on its earlier decision not to loan its 6-foot-9 giant June Mar Fajardo to the Philippine squad or to any team in Manila, even as he requested some basketball officials to refrain from making lucrative offers so as not to distract its star center in his studies.

“We will let Fajardo graduate first. I want him to finish his education first because that is a must and give him time to mature before allowing him to go to Manila,” said Estenzo in a press conference yesterday at the Cebu Country Club.

Estenzo revealed that Nicanor F. Jorge and Bernie Atienza of the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) were inviting him for a breakfast meeting to talk on Fajardo but he politely declined the request.

Prior to that, SBP executive director Noli Eala also sent a text message to Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) commissioner Felix “Boy” O. Tiukinhoy, Jr. saying they want Fajardo to the national team.

Just the other day, Jorge again texted directly to Fajardo as well as to Webmasters coach Roel Gomez and one public official from Cebu, whose name Estenzo refused to identify.

Fajardo himself admitted he received numerous calls and messages pertaining to the offer but said: “Dili ko moadto sa Manila out of my loyalty sa UC. Dire ko nagsugod ug dire sad ko mohuman kay lain kaayo silay nag-train nako ug lain lang maoy makapahimulos.”

Estenzo discouraged some quarters from continuing to lure Fajardo with lofty overtures so that he will not lose his focus to play. He said that the future of Fajardo is at stake if he decides to be trained in Manila because he don’t think that they can outdo Mon Fernandez and Gomez in terms of polishing further the hoop skills of Fajardo.

“He will be trained here by Fernandez and Gomez. No doubt he will be a somebody to reckon with in Philippine basketball but give him time to mature,” Estenzo said.

    Estenzo also disagreed on some claims that holding Fajardo is “unpatriotic and an act of selfishness” saying that they should not forget that UC lent Jonathan Canceran to the RP Youth Team under coach Joe Lipa a few years back.

The lack of courtesy, according to Estenzo, is always the cause of trouble in basketball. He asked why these people do not approach UC president Atty. Augusto W. Go directly if they are really interested in hiring Fajardo.

“Why disturb Fajardo when he is serious in his studies?” asked Estenzo.

The 19-year-old Fajardo, who hails from the municipality of Pinamungajan, is a third year Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) student.   (THE FREEMAN)