Meralco's Almazan fine with another Fajardo scoring spree as long as Bolts win

MANILA, Philippines -- If you were to ask Raymond Almazan, the Meralco Bolts would trade another offensive explosion from June Mar Fajardo for a big victory.

Fajardo, the reigning PBA Most Valuable Player and the PBA Philippine Cup Best Player of the Conference winner, has been on a tear in the past two games for the San Miguel Beermen.

In Game 4, the Cebuano big man erupted for a season-high 28 points and 13 rebounds to help the defending champions knot the All-Filipino Cup championship series to two games apiece.

He topped it up in Game 5 with 38 markers and 18 boards, but they lost.

Almazan, who defended Fajardo multiple times, is unfazed by the scoring outbursts of the big man, as long as they get the win.

“He scored 38 and [grabbed] 18 rebounds, right? So, we’re okay with that. He’d score 50 and then we get the win, it doesn’t matter,” he told reporters after the Bolts’ 92-88 victory Friday.

“I would trade that for a win. [Even if] he’d score 60, as long as we get the win,” he added.

Almazan said that while they were not able to stop Fajardo, the team played good defense.

“You know, June Mar is heavy. He’s 260 [pounds] and I am 220. I am trying my best to stop, at least limit him. That’s limiting him, right? 38 [points,]” the lanky center said.

“He is very, very difficult to stop.”

Meralco is now a win away from the historic first PBA title. They have a chance to close out the series and clinch the championship on Sunday.

“On Sunday, this is where we will know if we can be a champion. But, we are not thinking that we are up right now. We just want to work [for the possible clincher] this Sunday.”

Tip-off is at 6:15 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.