Kelly’s reemergence

Kelly Williams happens to be the oldest player in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup Finals between defending champion TNT and hungry challenger San Miguel Beer but his age hardly shows in tackling the biggest defensive assignment of the best-of-seven series. Williams, 40, is tasked to shadow six-time MVP and Best Player of the Conference JuneMar Fajardo. Anyway you look at it, the duel is a mismatch. Fajardo, 32, is 6-10 and towers over Williams who’s 6-6. Once Fajardo posts up, TNT doubles because single coverage just won’t do. For Williams, the key is to disallow Fajardo position on both ends. That’s the only way to keep the Kraken in check and it’s not easy.

San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria has schemes that disengage Fajardo from TNT’s defense and put him in his comfort zone. To disrupt Williams or any defender whom TNT coach Chot Reyes designates, Fajardo adjusts where to receive the ball. Sometimes, he posts up on the right block, sometimes, on the left, depending on his point of attack. If the defense gives him space to crash the baseline, Fajardo will spin and lay it in. If the defense shuts down the baseline, he’ll turn around and shoot a fadeaway. He’ll also seal his man by moving to the middle of the paint and power his way to the basket. Or he’ll set the pick anywhere around the lane then roll to the hoop for a layup. Occasionally, Fajardo will uncork a mid-range jumper or even a triple. That’s how deep his arsenal is. For a big man, his weaponry is frightening. In Game 3 of the Finals, Fajardo played like a man possessed, finishing with 27 points and 27 rebounds.

Although he’s San Miguel’s bread and butter, Fajardo isn’t the type to lord it over. When he had his 27-27, four teammates scored in double figures and Robbie Herndon came off the bench to deliver the killer blows in OT. Austria realizes that it will require no less than a team effort to win the championship.

Two years ago, Williams never imagined he would play in another Finals. He retired from the PBA after failing to come to terms on a renewal. Throughout his pro career, Williams has been slowed down by injuries. The year after he was named the PBA’s 2008 MVP, Williams was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder. When Reyes took over the TNT reins in 2021, he brought Williams back to the fold. Williams has since committed to work even harder in the gym and the result is evident in his incredible physique.

Against Fajardo, Williams has to be creative defensively. He fronts to deny access, overplays on one side to influence a pass that’s easier to defend, pokes the ball away when it’s coming in, uses his strength to push Fajardo out of position and makes him work defensively, too. If Williams establishes his defensive space, he might be able to draw an offensive foul. If Williams is aggressive in trying to score, he might make him commit fouls. In the last three games of the Finals, Williams averaged 11.3 points and 7.3 rebounds.

Williams and Fajardo are neck-to-neck in Finals experience. Williams is playing in his 12th Finals and has won six championships while Fajardo is in his 11th with eight titles. It’s impossible to shut down Fajardo and Williams knows the objective is containment. In San Miguel’s two wins in the Finals, Fajardo averaged 15 field goal attempts and in the two losses, 10.5. The difference shows why the series is tied at two wins apiece and why Williams has reemerged as a vital piece in TNT’s defense.