STA. Lucia Realty is ready to apply the lessons learned from a bitter experience when it launches its campaign in the PBA Fiesta Cup on March 21.

So said Realtors coach Boyet Fernandez, who added he expects his charges to bounce back from their sorry campaign in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup mainly due to a simple change and improvement in his players' conditions.

"Hopefully, the adjustments we made and a little luck will be enough for us to rebound from the Philippine Cup," Fernandez told Business Insight/Malaya in a phone interview yesterday.

Shortly after getting knocked out by Rain or Shine in the wildcard phase and finishing eighth in the season opener, Fernandez said team management and the coaching staff agreed a return to basics is in order.

"Nagkaroon kami ng problema sa physical conditioning kaya kami kinapos. Kaya the first thing we did was to hire a new trainer and so far maganda naman ang results," related Fernandez.

Testament to the effectivity of the new regimen, Fernandez added, was the way center Marlou Aquino, 37, has been practicing, likening him to a spring chicken.

"Parang bata ulit si Marlou and we expect big games from him in the Fiesta," Fernandez said.

Also, the Realtors are bringing back Anthony Johnson, who almost bagged the Best Import award last year.

Johnson is leaner than ROS returnee Jai Lewis or Talk N Text's Eric Hicks.

But Fernandez said familiarity with the SLR system and his local teammates make their reinforcement a perfect fit.

The wiry 6-foot-5 from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette had glowing averages of 28.7 points, 17.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 18 games, helping the Realtors wind up fifth in the same tournament.

Everybody believes that finish could have been higher had Kelly Williams not been sidelined from the All-Star break and for the rest of the season by a blood disorder.

Through still on medication, Williams has displayed no ill effects of the illness and is in fact flashing the fiery form that made him the 2007-08 season MVP, finishing tops in the statistical points race of the Philippine Cup.

With Aquino and Williams in full game shape, rookie playmaker Joshua Urbiztondo and combo guard Ryan Reyes free of the assortment of back and hamstring injuries that hobbled him in the season-opener, Fernandez believes he has a capable core.

It's now up to the reserves to crank up their game. "Our relievers must step up," Fernandez said.

The Realtors kick off the Fiesta Cup with a match against Barako Bull in the curtain-raiser, to be followed by the Ginebra-TNT tussle. - www.malaya.com.ph