ALL basketball players dream of making it to the Philippine Basketball Association one day. Once there, the next dream is to win a crown. Those are dreams that are as natural as a dog barking at a stranger. They come hand in hand, as in whiskey and ice. Larry Fonacier has almost missed his dream of making it to the PBA. While at Ateneo, he suffered a leg injury that almost abruptly ended his basketball career. But with patience and perseverance, he overcame adversities. He bounced back, and was even an enormous help to a University Athletic Association of the Philippines title conquest for Ateneo. With a sterling collegiate career, Fonacier’s passage to the PBA was easy as A-B-C. Like all PBAers, one title would be enough to complete the dream. But in Larry Fonacier’s case, it was different. He didn’t just win one but two PBA titles. Make that three, including the last two with Talk ‘N Text.

Like most mortals, he’s had his share of frustrations: In his first PBA finals, his team lost. But the next time his team got to the finals, Larry realized his dream: A PBA title. That was last year, when he moved to Alaska. Then as fate would have it, Larry Fonacier saw himself becoming a Talk ‘N Text player after Alaska’s triumph. It was a development so uncommon – for a player of Larry’s caliber is not usually shipped to another team right after a championship. Larry had played a key role in Alaska’s triumph even.

Arben Santos authored the astonishing transfer. Santos mentors several former Ateneo players, helping them land in PBA teams with the juiciest of salaries. He receives nothing for his work – and for good reason. A self-made man, he earns more than enough to tide him over for, maybe, five lifetimes. “Just my humble way of giving back,” says Arben, an Ateneo product, who principally crafted a major overhaul of the Blue Eagle basketball program in 1998. A high-water mark in collegiate basketball, the Ateneo program has now produced four UAAP crowns, including the last three titles. Ateneo is presently unbeaten in the UAAP season and, this early, is a cinch to clinch its fourth straight Finals appearance – if not score a “four-peat.” Larry Fonacier is proud, and is even prouder with the fact he is in his fourth PBA Finals stint – third with Talk ‘N Text.

I wrote this hours before last night’s first game of the TNT-Petron bestof- seven PBA Finals for the Governors’ Cup. Going to last night’s match, Larry was 31-for-31 at the stripe for the season. I’ll be naïve if I say Larry and TNT are not the overwhelming favorites in the series and are absolutely a shoo-in to win the coveted PBA Grand Slam after San Miguel Beer did it last in 1996. I had added “Lucky” to Larry’s name even when he was still a Blue Eagle. I now believe, firmly, that Talk ‘N Text’s seeming date with destiny is principally anchored on Larry “Lucky” Fonacier. (MS.com)

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