THE most dominant figure in local basketball today joins the current two biggest stars of Philippine volleyball in being honored with special awards in the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Awards Night on Feb. 16 at the Diamond Hotel Manila.
June Mar Fajardo reigns as Mr. Basketball anew, while Bryan Bagunas and Bella Belen are Mr. and Ms. Volleyball awardees during the annual gala organized by the country’s oldest media organization and presented by ArenaPlus.
It will be the seventh time the 35-year-old Fajardo will be feted with the same honor, while it’s the second time for Bagunas, and first for Belen.
All three are part of the long sports honor roll for the year 2025 bannered by male and female Athletes of the Year Carlos Yulo and Alex Eala to be feted in the event also backed by major sponsors Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Milo, Cignal, Philippine Volleyball League, Philippine Basketball Association, Akari, Rain or Shine, Capital1 Solar Energy and Acrocity.
The 6-foot-11 Fajardo again stood tall during Season 49 of the PBA when he reset his own record by winning an unprecedented ninth MVP trophy after steering San Miguel to its 11th Philippine Cup championship by beating TNT, and foiling the grand slam bid of the telecommunication franchise.
The veteran center out of University of Cebu also continued to be the pillar in the middle of Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team that saw action in the FIBA Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia and the first window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers.
The 28-year-old Bagunas from Balayan, Batangas, spearheaded Alas Pilipinas’ maiden campaign in the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship, which the country hosted for the first time ever.
Bagunas and Co. stunned world No. 21 Egypt, 29-27, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21, for their first ever win on the world stage, before falling short against No. 14 Iran in a closely-fought battle for a berth in the Final 16 (25-21, 21-25, 25-17, 23-25, 20-22).
He later led the national team to a bronze medal finish in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Belen, 23, powered National University to a second straight UAAP women’s volleyball championship with a two-game sweep of La Salle in the finals.
