Sta. Lucia Realtors

FROM A reliable playmaker to champion coach, Teodeorico “Boyet” Fernandez has proven everybody that you don’t need to be a rocket scientist or a popular celebrity to win a title in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Fernandez, 36, said “winning a title only requires our big fighting heart, dedication and especially our defense, which I said to my players again and again that we will live and die with it each game.”

Those requirements, successfully accomplished each night, had turned out very fruitful for the Sta. Lucia Realtors when they recorded three historical feats in the franchise since joining the league in 1993.

It started with an eighth game winning streak to take home the team’s first-ever outright semifinals slot, followed by a Game 7 win against Alaska to reach the finals, and then winning against Purefoods in finals of Game 7 for its first All-Filipino title.

The Realtors posted a 20-12 win-loss record in the entire run of the conference.

All those things came up beyond the team’s expectation, since Fernandez took the coaching post only last conference. But he did his job to end the franchise’s seven years of drought.

“I credited all my players for believing and playing tough in this conference,” he said. “I also thanked the management because the huge effort came from them down to my coaching staff and to the players.”

Fernandez has no hard time dealing with his players.

“Well, I found it not really hard getting the respect of my players, although most of them are having illustrious careers than me when I was a player.”

“At the same time, they were my teammates before so we understand each other.”

“I also respect them, so it was not hard to gain respect. Basketball is the topic and we’re all players. If they won championship, I won too,” he said.

Fernandez, a licensed nurse, is a certified playmaker during 1993 up to 2005 season playing for Sta. Lucia Realty, Alaska and Purefoods.

He was discovered by Sta. Lucia Realty team governor Buddy Encarnado during a visit in Negros Occidental. Fernadez was also part of the 1991 Sta. Lucia Philippine Amateur Basketball League champion team.

As a player, he was known for his three-point shooting expertise, defense, leadership and timely passes, but nobody thought the guy will be an instant champion coach.

His other biggest achievements as a pro player were winning the league’s three-point shootout for two consecutive years in 2000 and 2001 and being an alternate in the all-pro RP team to the 2002 Busan Asian Games.

Fernadez, a member of 2002 governor’s cup champion Purefoods, is also a former RP Youth player and member of the star-studded RP team in the 1991 SEA Games.

“As what I said before, this title will not become possible if there is no effort from the management, coaches and players. This Philippine Cup title is made of our collective effort.”

Last season, they finished only sixth in last year’s Philippine Cup and won only a total of 18 games throughout the campaign last season.

In winning this year’s Philippine Cup crown, Sta. Lucia Realty received its second overall title in 15 years in the league. The Sta. Lucia Realtors have won their first title, the 2001 Governors’ Cup.

Boyet, father of two girls – Thea, 11, and Trina, 8 – with wife Bella (Nee Gustillo), is the youngest of four children of the late businessman Winefred and pharmacist Rosario Fernandez of Villadolid, Negros Occidental.

Fernadez led the West Negros College-Recoletos to several regional title conquests while still in high school. He also formed the core of the Colegio de San Agustin squad that ruled the Negros leagues from 1987 to 1989.