Fajardo, Pogoy to play for flag in Hanoi SEAG

Cebuano basketball stars June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beer and RR Pogoy of TNT Tropang Giga will render another tour of duty with Team Philippines in the Southeast Asian Games, leading eight PBA players in the national quintet in the Hanoi joust set to officially open on May 12.

Other PBA stalwarts at coach Chot Reyes’ disposal for the 31st SEAG campaign are San Miguel’s Moala Tautuaa, NLEX’s Kevin Alas, Phoenix’s Matthew Wright, Terrafirma’s Isaac Go and TNT Tropang Giga’s Troy Rosario and Kib Montalbo.

Kiefer Ravena, an NLEX star on leave of absence, is part of the team along with Gilas cadets Francis Leo Lopez, William Navarro and Thirdy Ravena.

Reyes and his crew chase a 19th gold medal for the Philippines in the men’s basketball competition in the Hanoi meet slated May 16 to 22.

Meanwhile, Jorey Napoles, Marvin Hayes, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Reymar Caduyac, a PBA 3x3 champion team, fly the Phl flag in the Hanoi Games three-a-side competition, looking to defend the crown won by CJ Perez, Chris Newsome, Jason Perkins and Tautuaa in 2019 in Manila.

In 5x5, PBA players returning from their 2019 duties are Ravena, Fajardo, Rosario and Wright.

Before regular packed crowds at the MOA Arena then, coach Tim Cone and his Nationals completely dominated the opposition en route to claiming a 13th straight championship for the Philippine since a debacle in Kuala Lumpur in 1989.

Also in the winning lineup for the 2019 juggernaut were Japeth Aguilar, Marcio Lassiter, Vic Manuel, Stanley Pringle, Chris Ross, Greg Slaughter, Christian Standhardinger and LA Tenorio.

In Hanoi, Ravena will be in the hunt for a sixth SEAG gold after earlier victories in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019. —