By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Gilas Pilipinas women guard Ella Fajardo is preparing hard for her stint with US NCAA Division 1 school Fairleigh Dickinson University next year, while also gearing up to join the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) in the Philippines after college.

The 17-year-old Fajardo, whose mother is based in Bacolod City, said she was excited to play for the Fairleigh Dickinson University as it will be her stepping stone to the professional ranks.

“One of the primary reasons I chose to go [to Fairleigh] actually is because of the type of relationship I have with the coaches there,” said Fajardo during the virtual Philippine Sportswriters’ Association Forum.

“The main coach and the assistant coaches are fairly new, this is going to be their third season when I’m a freshman so it’s really a new environment and they really need me for that leadership piece,” added the team captain of Gill St. Bernard High School team.

While it was also her dream to play in WNBA, Fajardo said that she is leaning towards joining the WNBL draft after college for her to be able to play for the Gilas Pilipinas women’s team.

“I have thought about it [WNBA] for sure but honestly I think that my heart is where my home is, my country, the Philippines,” Fajardo said.

“I am currently a member of the national women’s Gilas Pilipinas team and I really do plan to represent my country as much as I can,” she added.

Fajardo was part of the Gilas Pilipinas women squad that clinched a historic bronze medal in the FIBA Under-18 3×3 World Cup in Mongolia last year./ASC, WDJ