Happy Birthday, Patrick Fran ( Apr 16 )

Happy Birthday, Patrick Fran

Source : Assorted Magazines (PBA Archives Collections)

UST Glowing Goldies player
Member of UST championships
1996 PBA Rookie Draft 10th overall pick
2x PBA champion
3x PBA All-Defensive Team
1998 PBA Most Improved Player
2003 PBASportsmanship Awardee

Patrick never thought that his inclination to the sport that he believed he inherited from his father's side will go this far. He started playing at the age of six at Aquinas School in San Juan. He was a member of the school's varsity team until high school before he enrolled at UST where he took up Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. It was actually a double celebration for him during his last year at UST because their team ended the school's 28year title drought in the UAAP men's basketball tournament and at the same time he graduated from his 4-year course. As of now, he is very thankful for the big break given to him by coach Norman Black. In fact, along with the two other rookies on the team, Andrew John Seigle and Lowell Briones, Patrick contributed his own share in the Cellular Giants' creditable performance wherein they managed to make it to the semifinals of the PBA All-Filipino Cup is fate actually resembles that of former University of Santo Tomas teammate, Bal David. He was drafted last year by Purefoods, but after signing former RP team mainstays Rodney Santos and Reuben de la Rosa, the team found no more space to accommodate him so he was released and he became a rookie free agent. The 23-year old Patrick, youngest of four children of Antonio and Belen Fran, tried his luck over at Ginebra but unfortunately the Gins' line-up was already complete so he decided to go back and play for Oriental Batteries in the PBL. "Hinayang na hinayang ako no'n. Nakaramdam din ako ng inggit sa mga naging kasabayan ko lalo na kay Rey (Evangelista) dahil nakita ko 'yung achievement n'ya through the years. Rookie year pa lang n'ya nakasama siya sa Asian Games sa Hiroshima tapos ang ganda pa ng nilaro niy. Muntik pa siyang Imaging Rookie of the Year. I feel proud for him, masaya ako para sa kanya pero siyempre naiinggit din ako" related Patrick onhow he envied his cousin and other 1993 UST Tiger teammates who won the UAAP title via a record 14game sweep. But with his firm faith in the Lord and with the support and encouragement he drew from his parents especialy his mother, friends and Evangelista himself, Patrick did not give up his dream of playing in the pro-league. "Siguro 'yon lang talaga ang ibinigay sa akin ni Lord e. Siguro may plans talaga Siya kung bakit ngayon lang ako nakapaglaro sa PBA. At saka palaging sinasabi sa akin ng mga kaibigan ko, ng parents ko lalo na si Mommy, si Rey, na maglaro lang ako ng maayos sa PBL, baka next year makuha ako, at eto nga nakasuwerte ng kaunti." And now that he's already strutting his stuff with the Mobiline Cellulars, still he can't believe that his dream was already fullfilled. "Masayang-masaya ako. Hindi nga ako makapaniwala e. Nagpapasalamat ako dahil nabigyan ako ng chance na makapaglaro dito sa PBA,