Sta. Lucia is a team with a long history in Philippine basketball. It was originally a part of the Great Taste franchise, but eventually became known as the Presto Tivoli squad. When they joined the Philippine Amateur Basketball League (PABL), they quickly became a strong contender, with notable players like Marlou Aquino and Boyet Fernandez. In 1993, they were invited to join the professional league, and they hoped to make a big impact.
They were planning to make DLSU star center Jun Limpot their top draft pick, with Nat Canson as their coach. However, Allan Caidic decided not to join the team and instead went to play for San Miguel. Sta. Lucia's roster still included talented players like Vergel Meneses, Gerry Esplana, Bong Hawkins, Apet Jao, and Zaldy Realubit. Other players, like Onchie Dela Cruz and Abe King, went on to play for other teams, while Arnie Tuadles retired before Sta. Lucia was able to bounce back with Limpot leading the way.
Sta. Lucia has had a lot of success in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), winning two championships and finishing in third place a few times. They have had several talented players over the years, including number-one draft picks Jun Limpot, Dennis Espino, Paolo Mendoza, and Kelly Williams. Limpot, Espino, Marlou Aquino, Kenneth Duremdes, Williams, and Ryan Reyes have all represented the Philippine national team while playing for Sta. Lucia.
While the team doesn't have a long list of Hall of Famers or a roster full of superstars, they have had a lot of role players who have made important contributions to the team's success. These players may not have had the most impressive stats or the highest profiles, but they have worked hard and made sacrifices to help the team win.
It's worth noting that this is the author's personal list of the top 20 Sta. Lucia players. It is based on factors like popularity, tenure with the team, stats, contributions, and overall impact. If you disagree with the ranking, feel free to make your own list. Just remember that it can be challenging to write about sports and come up with rankings, so be respectful of the effort that goes into creating these types of articles.
Dennis Daa played college ball at Las Pinas College. But despite his impressive performance in the PBL, he was left undrafted in the 2006 PBA Draft. Despite this disappointment, Daa was able to secure a spot on the Sta. Lucia Realtors team. He played a role in their second championship victory and is often called upon as a versatile forward off the bench who can contribute on both offense and defense.
Toying Teves may not be the most well-known player to have worn the Sta. Lucia jersey, but he made a significant impact during his time on the court. He was known for his ability to restrict opposing teams' star players from scoring, and he played for the Sta. Lucia Realtors for four seasons during a period when the team had multiple semifinal appearances.
A former standout player at FEU, Kiko Adriano was selected sixth overall in the 2001 Draft by the Realtors. Prior to joining Sta. Lucia, Adriano played for the Pasig-Rizal Blue Pirates in the MBA. Interestingly, Pasig is represented by Sta. Lucia in the MPBL. Known for his offensive abilities, Adriano was a part-time starter for the team and played a key role in their championship win in 2001.
Chris Tan is a physically imposing 6'1 point guard who made a name for himself as a star player for the DLSU Green Archers. He also played for the Cebu Gems and Batangas Blades in the MBA. Despite being Norman Black's stepson, nepotism did not play a role in his role on the team. Known for his willingness to pass for shots, even if he is a skilled shooter himself, Tan was also a member of the 2001 championship squad.
Boyet Fernandez has a long history with the Sta. Lucia Realtors franchise. He was part of the team during their PABL days, and when Sta. Lucia joined the PBA in 1993, the Realtors quickly acquired him through trade. Although Fernandez had his most successful years in the PBA with other teams, he eventually retired as a member of the Realtors. One of his greatest achievements with the franchise was leading the team to their second championship title in the 2007-08 PBA Philippine Cup, in his rookie season as head coach.
Some fans were disappointed when this former DLSU scoring star transformed into a defensive specialist in the PBA. However, Sta. Lucia's former third-overall pick was also a skilled quarterback, frequently feeding the ball to Limpot and Espino during his time with the team. He began and ended his professional career as a Realtor, but unfortunately, he missed out on the team's two championships (after a stint with the Tanduay Rhum Masters). He did, however, earn two all-star appearances in the late 90s.
19 | JOSE "BOYET" FRANCISCO
In the 1995 PBA Draft, the Sta. Lucia Realtors selected several young players to fill out their team roster. One of these players, Boyet Francisco, turned out to be a lucky acquisition for the team in the fourth round. Known as "El Pistolero" for his accurate three-point shots, Francisco became a key player for the Realtors, much like Rhoel Gomez did for the team in the mid-to-late 90s.
After spending over a decade with the Shell Turbo Chargers, this former Mythical Team member was traded to the Sta. Lucia Realtors in exchange for Gerry Esplana. Though Ronnie Magsanoc wasn't as quick as he once was, he was still able to perform under pressure and hit key shots for the team. Magsanoc spent three seasons with the Realtors, unfortunately, missed out on the team's first championship.
It can be difficult to accurately assess the significance of Noynoy Falcasantos' role in the Sta. Lucia Realtors. While he may have been similar to Nelbert Omolon before Omolon joined the team, Falcasantos' last three seasons with the Realtors were plagued by injuries. In fact, he only played in six games during the team's first championship run. Despite this, his contributions to the Realtors, particularly during their early years as a key relief player for Jun Limpot or Dennis Espino, were important to the team's success.
Andy De Guzman was known for his confident and aggressive style of shooting, always looking for opportunities to score. He joined the Sta. Lucia Realtors as part of a trade that sent Vergel Meneses to the Swift Mighty Meaties. De Guzman was a standout player at FEU and played for the Realtors for four seasons, averaging between 7 and 11 points per game.
As a UST alumnus and fan of the PBL-Tanduay team, I am familiar with Gerard Francisco's career. Francisco, who was directly hired by the Sta. Lucia Realtors in 1999 (he was "drafted" in the second round behind the likes of Erwin Luna, Arnold Rodriguez, and Danny Aying), began his PBA season on the injured list. Despite this, he played an important role in the team's first championship victory in the 2001 PBA Governors' Cup. His impressive clutch shots earned him the title of Finals MVP.
After a successful career in the MBA and a somewhat average stint with the Mobiline Phone Pals, Gonzales saw his move to the Sta. Lucia Realtors as a chance to improve his game. He had previously been known as an inside operator with a talent for securing loose balls, but he developed the ability to shoot jump shots and eventually three-pointers as well. In addition to his scoring skills, he was also known as an effective import stopper and a gifted passer. Gonzales ultimately won his second PBA championship as part of the Realtors' second championship team.
The Sta. Lucia Realtors once had a strong bench thanks to the acquisition of Kenneth Duremdes, but after Duremdes was traded, the team found itself in need of additional support. Fortunately, the acquisition of The Ninja filled this need. Yeo proved to be a valuable contributor as a valuable scorer and played an important role in the team's second championship. It's possible that Yeo's career may have been even more successful if the Realtors had kept their lineup intact.
Denok Miranda is a defensive point guard from FEU who has a similar career path to Johnny Abarrientos. Although Miranda's offensive skills may be limited, he excels at setting up plays and running the offense smoothly for Sta. Lucia. Miranda was part of the team's second championship squad. It is possible that Miranda's career could have been even more successful if he had stayed with the Realtors, similar to Joseph Yeo.
I made the mistake of criticizing the Realtors for drafting Reyes instead of a big man, which they really needed at that time. However, Reyes ended up being a valuable addition to the team, winning the Rookie of the Year award just like Limpot and Williams before him. He was able to play both guard positions comfortably and was a strong rebounder as well. Although he had a successful stint with TNT, I believe he could have had an even better career if Sta. Lucia had not traded him.
To be concluded.