Fajardo out: Big man cites injury; Williams out too

MANILA, Philippines - Back-to-back PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo last night confirmed he’s out of the Gilas Pilipinas bound for the FIBA Asia Championship, citing a foot injury he claimed would only hamper his performance in Changsha, China next month.

A sports online report quoted Fajardo as saying he’s sorry he’ll not be able to join the team because of plantar fasciitis (inflamed heel) on both feet. He doubts he’ll be effective with the team with his current condition.

With his height, built, talent and skills, Fajardo could be a potent partner or able backup to naturalized Andrey Blatche. Without the San Miguel stalwart, Gilas coach Tab Baldwin will lean on the likes of Asi Taulava, Ranidel de Ocampo and Sonny Thoss.

Baldwin earlier said he’s hoping that Fajardo’s injury would heal in time for the event.

Fajardo is one of the three players from the San Miguel group missing in the roster, the two others being Marc Pingris of Star who is currently on holiday in Europe and LA Tenorio of Ginebra who begged off due to fatigue.

Earlier, Kelly Williams also dropped out of the roster after he was found to have suffered an MCL (medial collateral ligament) injury that would take a healing time of four to six weeks.

Renowned orthopedic surgeon Raul Canlas informed Williams of the result of his MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) test yesterday.

Gilas’ first official practice session had barely started Monday night when Williams slipped on a wet spot on the floor at the Meralco Gym, twisting his right knee in the process.

Williams felt right away the severity of the injury that he was seen slamming the floor hard while grappling with the pain.

“He was so disappointed because he worked hard to be ready for this. You can see his bulked-up body,” said Virgil Villavicencio, media group officer of the MVP PBA teams.

It was another sad chapter in William’s playing career. It could be recalled that he also missed the 2009 FIBA Asia Championship in Tianjin, China due to a blood disorder problem.

He was finally able to render service to the national team in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and in the 2011 FIBA Asia tilt in Wuhan when he’s a shell of his MVP form in the PBA in 2008.

He suffered this latest health problem when his contract is about to end this month.

He should’ve been an ideal frontline tandem with Blatche with Fajardo and Pingris’s status still uncertain.