Sta. Lucia Realtors

FIVE DAYS after winning his team’s first ever Philippine Cup crown, Sta. Lucia Realty franchise team owner Exequiel Robles, at last, has come out inside the shell to comment about the dramatic championship series.

Speaking in front of media in the penthouse of Sta. Lucia East Mall last March 7, Robles said there is no other thing that could be more sweeter than winning their first ever All-Filipino crown after 15 years.

“The players have done it at last,” said Robles during the team’s thanksgiving party. “Everybody sacrificed for this (title) and we’re now savoring it.”

Asked if what is next after winning an All-Filipino title, Robles said: “It is no less than winning a back-to-back championship.”

The soft-spoken Robles referred to the next conference, the 2008 Fiesta Conference.

“Everyone has an ambition in life,” he said. “I’m sure winning twice this year is possible because the morale of the team is high,” said Robles.

All the coaches, players except Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes were present in the party, which also included team governor Buddy Encarnado and former Congressman Toti Cariño.

Williams and Reyes had left the country for US two days after they won a title to visit their respective families.

The controversy, Robles said, has nothing to do with Sta. Lucia Realty’s victorious campaign after beating powerhouse Purefoods in a classic Game 7, 100-88, last March 2 to bag its second title.

“It is the desire of the players to win it and nothing more,” he said.

Giants star James Yap, the 2006 MVP, was suspended in Game 5 after Sonny Barrios, the PBA commissioner, upgraded the flagrant foul penalty 1 called by the referees to Yap in Game 3 to flagrant foul penalty 2.

Yap had bloodied Joseph Yeo’s nose with only few seconds left in that game.

Purefoods team manager Rene Pardo protested it to the board, but it was turned down.

He also questioned the commissioner’s lunch with Robles and Encarnado in Shangrila Hotel a day after the incident happened.

But Robles said there is nothing malicious on that activity, saying that they only expressed their grievances at the right person.

Encarnado said they did not bring the issue to the media because it is not the right place. The proper place, he said, is the commissioner’s office.

Sta. Lucia Realty got its first title when it defeated San Miguel Beer in six games, with import Damien Owens, to win the 2001 Governors’ Cup crown and end an eight-year title drought.

Yet, it took seven more years to win another.

But even during their losing campaigns from 2002 to 2007, disbanding the team was not on the mind of the Robleses.

“We have no intention of doing it and we even did not think about it,” Robles said.

Winning eight straight games to end the elimination round at 12-6 to get an outright semifinals slot, then going for the last dance was a very memorable moment to Robles.

“I feel that our chance to win our second trophy is strong.”

In the semifinals, Sta. Lucia downed Alaska in a similar seven-game series to arrange the Finals date with Purefoods.