JUNE MAR FAJARDO DISLODGES CODINERA IN PBA'S ALL-TIME OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS

MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Beer's star center June Mar Fajardo added another milestone to his long list of pro basketball achievements after becoming the PBA's new record holder for the most number of offensive rebounds.

The 6-foot-10 Cebuano big man achieved his rebounding feat during the Beermen's hard-earned 120-111 win against a fighting Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Saturday in their crucial PBA Philippine Cup road game in Cagayan de Oro City.

The "Kraken" grabbed his 2,412nd offensive rebound of his PBA career during the 4:36 mark of the opening quarter off a missed attempt by CJ Perez. He then scored on an easy putback to give the Beermen an 18-14 lead.

Fajardo went on to finish with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting, grabbed nine rebounds, and issued four assists as the Beermen chalked up their seventh win in nine outings to enhcnace their top 4 bid at the end of the elims that would guarantee a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs.

Now playing in his 11th season in Asia's first professional basketball league, Fajardo has overtaken PBA cage legend Jerry Codinera for the all-time career offensive rebound feat through 510 games, as per league chief statistician Fidel Mangonon.

Fajardo, who is also the PBA's only eight-time Most Valuable Player and 11-time Best Player of the Conference winner, is expected to pad up to his offensive rebounds in a record that may be hard to break.

Codinera, known during his heyday as the'Defense Minister,' compiled 2,411 offensive rebounds in 17 seasons and 871 games where he started his PBA careet with Purefoods (now Magnolia), followed by Mobiline (TNT), and later with FedEx.

Other members of the elite top five all-time offensive rebounders in league history include two-time MVP Abet Guidaben (2,373), four-time MVP Ramon Fernandez (2,217), and MVP Asi Taulava (2,204).

2025-06-08T01:51:24Z