With Prince Ali now the club’s latest signing, observers can’t help but think of Mark Twain’s celebrated historical tale. The story unfolds at the close of the sixteenth century, following an English street child who meets Prince Edward, the son of King Henry VIII. So alike in looks and manner are they that a bold plan forms: the two swap clothes and identities, and the result is a reversal of fortunes. The prince is banished to the life of the poor, while the beggar steps into royal duties. The narrative slips through the smoky lanes and crowded squares of London in 1547, weaving a vivid portrait of the era’s deep social chasms. Through the beggar’s eyes, readers glimpse the city’s harsh realities and its rigid system, while the beggar-turned-prince stands on the brink of a coronation following his father’s death.
Dignified by Twain’s lens, the season’s screenplay, developed with poised confidence by HLA Alicante, unfolds on the court with matching drama. It isn’t always clear who will assert dominance: the regal leader on the floor or the most overlooked squad in the First FEB. The campaign opened with a jaw-dropping upset that sent shockwaves through the league. A ninety-point performance stunned the season’s frontrunner, San Pablo Burgos, a moment that electrified Lucentum supporters and unsettled expectations across the standings. Sebastian Aris delivered clutch triples while Roger Moute hammered home thunderous dunks that snapped Burgos’s thirteen-game winning streak and injected a fresh surge of energy into a league known for razor-thin finishes. The turning point arrived when Prince Ali took the floor against Cantabria in his debut, aligning the team’s resilience with the beggar’s unlikely ascent. Cantabria’s Encinas and his group imposed their will, leaving Rubén Perelló’s side striving to respond. Lucentum emerged victorious in both meetings, signaling a shift in rhythm as the standings began to tilt in their favor.
Back at the Pedro Ferrándiz arena, the home team cemented control again, chalking up a crucial win that narrowed the gap with Alimerka Oviedo and sent a clear message that the season’s arc remains unsettled. Kevin Larsen posted numbers that sparked MVP chatter from the stands, while the team’s titular king, Jordan King, regained his rhythm to contribute decisive plays that tipped a tense game in Lucentum’s favor. This weekend’s schedule sends the club to Zamora, a venue that previously witnessed a narrow two-point setback in Perelló’s Alicante debut earlier in the season. Thus far, HLA Alicante has not managed back-to-back victories, a drought that gnaws at the margins of the table. The road record has been painful, with only Gipuzkoa having fallen in their favor on the road, a sobering statistic that underscores how much work remains. The prince and the beggar have traded roles game by game, leaving supporters unsure which version will appear on any given night. If Lucentum hopes to climb out of the relegation zone for good, they will need the full artillery of King and Prince, the towering Dane who anchors the front line, and the national depth provided by Rodríguez and López. After many games spent in the FEB’s underworld, the dramatic arc seems poised to resolve with the beggar finally crowning the prince, echoing the ending of Twain’s timeless tale.