The people closest to him were far, far away.
"Last season, when they won, nobody was here," said Nancy Fiandrino, Fernandez's mother. "That is why we came. I think it's some motivation for him. Juan said it is some pressure, but I think it is motivation."
Either way, Fernandez handled it awfully well as Temple made quick work of St. Bonaventure on Friday and Rhode Island in yesterday's semifinal. Fernandez scored nine quick points as Temple jumped out to an 11-2 lead. That was before a rain delay interrupted the Owls' rhythm.
It turns out venerable Boardwalk Hall is also permeable. The leaky roof forced trash cans to be set up around the building to catch droplets of water. When a puddle formed at midcourt, play was delayed for about 12 minutes.
"We've had that at home," Fernandez said. "I didn't expect it here. We were making a run, so it was a bad time for us."
It was the closest Temple came to a challenge over the first two rounds. Fernandez finished with 14 points and seven assists in a 57-44 win.
"He's an extraordinary player," Temple coach Fran Dunphy said. "There are guys that are going to be taller, longer, faster. But he's extraordinary in terms of his feel for the game. He's hard to guard, but it's not because he's fast and quick or any of those things. He just knows the game."
That's because Fernandez was born into it. His father, Gustavo, was a professional player, a point guard, in Argentina for 17 years.
"They were born on a basketball court," Fiandrino said of Juan and his brother Gustavo. "Our family is a sport family, except for the mother."
"I followed him all the 17 years he played as a pro," Juan Fernandez said. "It was awesome. He made me really get to love this sport and learn how to be an athlete and how to handle things. He's been through a lot. Every time I have a tough situation, I always ask his advice."
