No flash in the pan

In what could be remembered as one of the biggest reversals in league history, Fash Liquid Laundry Detergent washed away defending champion Welcoat Paints, 61-55, last night to win the PBL Platinum Cup at the Philsports Arena.

The full-house crowd in the Pasig venue stood as witness as the Liquid Power, on sheer guts, outfought the heavily-favored Paint Masters for a second straight game, completing a remarkable come-from-behind victory in the best-of-five series.

Coach Junel Baculi and the Liquid Power took the series at three games to two, giving their pro-bound stars Rich Alvarez, Peter June Simon and Wesley Gonzales a sweet sendoff party in the process.

But in the winner-take-all contest that was close all the way, neither Alvarez, Simon nor Gonzales emerged the biggest hero. Reserve wingman Larry Fonacier essayed that role as he unloaded a pair of killer three-pointers down the stretch to decide the outcome of the game.

He was later named Finals Pivotal Player.

"I couldn’t say more of him. He just played big for us in this game," said Baculi of Fonacier.

Before delivering the clutch treys, Fonacier put up efficient defenses on James Yap and Jojo Tangkay.

Fonacier held Tangkay scoreless the rest of the way after the Welcoat top gun hit a three-pointer to tie the count at 42-all.

"I just play my best whenever I’m in there," said the soft-spoken Fonacier, also a member of the Ateneo-Pioneer team that won a PBL crown two years ago.

Being a marked man after a 28-point game the last time, Simon played decoy most of the time but still managed to score 12 points. After winning the tournament MVP award, the Makilala, North Cotabato lad also copped the finals MVP trophy.

"Masaya ako dahil ang dami kong na-accomplish dito sa PBL. Sana maging inspirasyon ko ito sa pagakyat ko sa PBA," said Simon, who is to play for Purefoods in the pros.

The two teams fought basket for basket, muscle for muscle and energy for energy as proved by the 11 deadlocks and the same number of lead changes recorded in the game.

But Fash outlasted Welcoat with Fonacier, Simon, Alvarez and Allan Salangsang keeping the team intact to the very end.

"They deserve this win. They were just the more experienced team," said Welcoat coach Leo Austria.

The triumph handed Baculi his seventh title in the league. Curiously, he won four with Welcoat. He said: "Hindi ko napansin naka-pito na pala ako. I wouldn’t get all of these without the help of God."