03/08/2006
By Brian Porter , Staff Writer

PLANO - He was the future. And the future is now.

Joseph Fulce, a 6-foot-7 forward which brought athleticism, height, speed and pure shooting ability to Plano, always had the basketball pedigree. Now he wants a state championship.

"I wanted this since the day my sister (Jessica) went to state," Fulce said. "She says it's my time. It's a big opportunity and I can't blow it."

Plano (27-8) meets Richardson Berkner (31-7) at 7 p.m. Friday in the second of two Class 5A boys basketball semifinal games. It marks Plano's first state tournament appearance since 1980.

"We're writing history," Fulce said. "We haven't been to state in 26 years."

Joe is the brother of Jessica Fulce, a starter on the first Plano ISD girls team to reach a modern state tournament in 2000. His cousin was Jimmy King, 1991 Mr. Basketball in Texas at Plano East and a member of Michigan's Fab 5.

"I was a first-grader and Jimmy would come over and play basketball at my house," Fulce said. "Everyone knew who Jimmy King was. I sat on Juwan Howard's lap. Jimmy always said I was going to be something special."

His performance Saturday proved it. The senior converted 11-of-15 shots from the floor, nearly recorded a double-double in one half and almost single-handedly lifted Plano to a state tournament appearance over previously unbeaten El Paso Montwood.

The kid that once was encouraged to hock autographed photos of King for lunch money in elementary school will take the floor at the state tournament where not even his cousin played.

"Anything is possible," Fulce said. "You have to believe if we work hard and rebound, we'll become winners. That will be the reward."

The three-year letterwinner has been a fixture on playoff teams for three years. He has more nicknames than possibly any player to have played at Plano. First, he was termed 'Gumby' for his wingspan and length as a sophomore. He was also termed 'Liability Joe,' a term which applied to his nature to occasionally miss a defensive assignment or follow his shot as a sophomore. Then Plano West termed him 'Circus' for his unbelievably creative ways of turning dead end possessions into points.

"Those names just flow," Plano coach Tom Inman said. "He got taller and taller and longer and longer. You looked at him and wondered 'What if, what if you could get him to work 110 percent? What could he become? "You've got to admire someone who would take up the challenge of following the players he has."

Fulce was awarded the No. 24 at Plano following the graduation of Michael Milton, who holds seven school scoring records. King also wore No. 24 at Plano East.

"Jimmy was a blossoming superstar at Plano East," Inman said. "Jessica had to live up to him. Then Joe comes along and has to live up to both of them."

His senior season, and possibly his future in basketball with it, could have never been. The senior had a slight tear in his meniscus and a cartilage defect in his left knee. He was having fluid drained off the knee each week.

"Basically, I had a hole in the cartilage of my knee. It was really bad," Fulce said. "I thought about playing on it, but they said I could be done if I did."

He had the surgery and Plano pulled through portions of its district schedule without the senior, including one particular game in which the forward wanted to participate.

"It probably hurt me more than anytime not to play at Plano East," Fulce said. "I felt if I could play, I could try to break the curse there. I'm not that good there because of Jimmy. Every time, before I leave, I look up at the banner with Jimmy's name on it.

"I knew they could pull it off. With me gone, maybe it helped us see the potential of everyone on the team."

Nate Christian, Cody Jones and two-sport varsity freshman Rex Burkhead each got starts. Landon Skinner was also unavailable, leaving Plano without two starters.

Fulce references the team's motto "Play Hard. No Excuses." as a motivating factor in pulling through district without its complete roster.

"We got here because we work hard," Fulce said. "There haven't been any excuses."

Somewhere along the season clear roles developed and each player on the roster settled perfectly into them.

"Give the point guard a lot of credit. John (Roberson) has done his job," Fulce said. "My biggest thing is staying on the glass. John is the flashy guy. Eric's (Zastoupil) biggest thing is frustrating post men. No one has to say a word, we're on the same page. We know our roles."

Fulce likes to think there's another one for him.

"I'm probably the most silly player on the team," Fulce said, "and in life."

He chose the No. 24 and he's lived up to its billing.

"It was the number I wanted," Fulce said. "It was Michael's, but also to represent the bloodline of my family in basketball. My sister was No. 55 and I would have taken it, if we had a No. 55."

Fulce's final high school game will take place at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, home of the Texas Longhorns. He's signed with Texas A&M.

"Texas was probably one of my dream schools," Fulce said. "I'm an Aggie now."

The Aggies will also be pleased to know, in the final practice Wednesday at Plano, Fulce's touch was obvious.

Roberson, the top junior point guard recruit in Texas, was wearing a Texas A&M shirt - one which likely came from Fulce.

Before A&M, the senior would like to create one lasting memory at the Frank Erwin Center.

"I want to tell people, 'I've played here before,' " Fulce said. " 'And I won here.' "