2007-08 PBA Philippine Cup
Encyclopedia
The 2007-08
Philippine Basketball Association
(PBA) Philippine Cup
or known as the 2007-08 Smart PBA Philippine Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the first conference of the 2007-08 PBA season
. The tournament was formally opened on October 14, 2007 and ended on March 2, 2008. The tournament is an All-Filipino format, which doesn't require an import or a pure-foreign player for each team.
The winner will receive the Jun Bernardino Trophy
. The Sta. Lucia Realtors
needed the maximum seven games to defeat the #1 seed Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants to win their first All-Filipino conference championship.
Legend: GB = games behind; PCT = winning percentage.
going to the Tigers while Ali Peek
and draft picks going to the Phone Pals. Coke, which had previously denied the Phone Pals of a playoff for the last quarterfinal berth by winning their last elimination round game 2 days earlier, started out strong; the Phone Pals failed to answer to the challenge as they were beaten by the #9 seeds.
Air21 on the other hand faced defending champions Barangay Ginebra Kings
, which were decimated by injuries to Billy Mamaril
, Mark Caguioa
and personal commitments by Rudy Hatfield
(Hatfield didn't return) early in the season caused several losses and they had to settle for a wildcard berth. Behind the shooting of team captain Wynne Arboleda
, Air21 raced to an early lead. Ginebra cut down the deficit, but while Caguioa was on a fastbreak
attempt, Niño Canaleta
blocked his shot that virtually ended Ginebra's title defense.
On the final wildcard game, Arboleda wasn't able to sustain his shooting as Taulava and Mark Telan
had career games to advance to the quarterfinals to face the Alaska Aces
.
Alaska ended Coca-Cola's run as the worst-seeded wildcard winner as they were eliminated by the #3 seed. Reigning Most Valuable Player Willie Miller
made short work of the Tigers backcourt as Joachim Thoss overran the potent Coke frontcourt by converting outside shots.
Magnolia and Red Bull renewed their playoffs rivalry with Red Bull forcing the upset, as Magnolia was rated as the top team during the preseason, with Red Bull being decimated by one-sided trades (ironically to Magnolia). Cyrus Baguio
had a coming-out party as he scored a career-high 31 points to win Game 1 for the Bulls. Junthy Valenzuela
outplayed former Red Bull players Lordy Tugade
and Enrico Villanueva
to sweep the Beverage Masters.
The Bulls now clinch their sixth consecutive semifinals appearance.
Purefoods, owing to a couple of weeks' rest blew out Red Bull which had defeated last season's finalists in Game 1. However, Red Bull came back in Game 2 to put up a defensive stand in the fourth quarter to tie the series, 2-2. Team captain Junthy Valenzuela
kept the Giants at bay when they were making a run in the final minutes, scoring 2 crucial baskets. Purefoods then did their own pull-away at Game 3, crashing the boards at will; Marc Pingris
rebounded a career-high 19 boards.
With a 1-3 series deficit looming, Red Bull again kept a pace with Purefoods in Game 4; however James Yap
injured his groin in the first quarter after scoring ten points and didn't return. Purefoods managed to hold-off Red Bull until Cyrus Baguio
drove to the basket after a pick-and-roll for an unmolested lay-up to tie the game 86-all. Peter June Simon
missed his baseline jumper as time ran out to force overtime. In the extra period, Red Bull made a 11-2 run care of three pointers from Celino Cruz
and Francis Adriano
to tie the series once again.
After the injury to Yap, Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio
announced prior to Game 5 that Yap would be day-to-day. However, Yap started on Game 5 and Purefoods raced to a 40-17 lead after the first quarter. Red Bull crept up the lead and eventually cut down the lead to two with a minute to go thanks to a trey from Mick Pennisi
. In the ensuing possession, Pingris was fouled on the act of shooting; Pingris missed both of his freethrows to give Red Bull another chance. After the time out and with both teams in penalty, Valenzuela was fouled. Valenzuela converted the first but missed the second, which led to a Kerby Raymundo
rebound that sealed the win for the Giants.
Needing to win twice in a row to enter the Finals, Red Bull started Game 6 with a 20-1 blast that caught Purefoods flatfooted. The Bulls then cruised on, with Mike Hrabak
and Pennisi shooting treys to tie the series for last time, at 3-all. However, Purefoods started out Game 7 strong but the Barakos answered every Giants run to keep pace; however, thanks to misses from the perimeter by Red Bull and Purefoods' transition defense, the Giants were able to clinch their league-leading 12th All-Filipino Cup finals appearance.
Unlike Purefoods which capitalized their long rest, Sta. Lucia had a rusty Game 1 that led to an Alaska blowout. However, Sta. Lucia then had their own blowout game in Game 2 to tie the series. Kelly Williams
' dunk at the end of Game 2 was criticized by Alaska coach Tim Cone
as a "lack of class".
With her Cebu
ana mother watching, Williams had a 27-point explosion to pull the Realtors ahead, 2-1. Alaska then turned their offensive game going in Game 4 to tie the series with a 90-83 Game 4 win, leading by as much as 26 points in some stages before the Realtors staged a comeback to cut the lead to two points. Reigning MVP Willie Miller
converted three-pointers when the Sta. Lucia came close as he matched Williams' Game 3 output of 27 points to lead all scorers.
The pattern of early blowouts then a furious comeback continued as Sta. Lucia held off Alaska to lead the series, 3-2. Veteran Paolo Mendoza
relived his collegiate days as he scored 19 points mostly in the early going. John Ferriols
and sophomore Aaron Aban
then led another comeback by the Aces to cut down the lead to two. Alaska's Jeffrey Cariaso
was ejected from the game after he was assessed with two technical foul
s that led to a cold period between the two teams in the final 6 minutes. With the score unchanged, Willie Miller converted a three-point play to tie at 90-all but the Realtors then scored the last 5 points of the game to put them one step closer to their first All-Filipino conference Finals stint.
Like Red Bull, Alaska blew out their Game 6, with Miller and Tony dela Cruz
each scoring more 20 points with 4 others reaching double figures. However, like Red Bull, they were closed out by the #2 seeds as the Realtors pounded on the end game, with Dennis Miranda
nailing the trey that put the game out reach.
The franchise qualifies for their first ever All-Filipino conference finals stint.
broadcast all of the games in Philippine TV. Their finals broadcasters are:
Furthermore, the ABS-CBN News Channel
carried the Finals live overseas. Sports Radio 918
carried the games live on AM radio.
Featured songs include "How Far We've Come
" by Matchbox Twenty
and "Shadow of the Day
" by Linkin Park
.
2007-08 PBA season
The 2007-08 PBA Season was the 33rd season of the Philippine Basketball Association. The season was formally opened on October 14, 2007 at the Araneta Coliseum...
Philippine Basketball Association
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
(PBA) Philippine Cup
PBA Philippine Cup
The Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup is the award given at PBA's all-Filipino conference. The tournament does not allow teams to hire foreign players or imports. Prior to 2004-05 season, the tournament was then known as the PBA All-Filipino Cup...
or known as the 2007-08 Smart PBA Philippine Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the first conference of the 2007-08 PBA season
2007-08 PBA season
The 2007-08 PBA Season was the 33rd season of the Philippine Basketball Association. The season was formally opened on October 14, 2007 at the Araneta Coliseum...
. The tournament was formally opened on October 14, 2007 and ended on March 2, 2008. The tournament is an All-Filipino format, which doesn't require an import or a pure-foreign player for each team.
The winner will receive the Jun Bernardino Trophy
Jun Bernardino Trophy
The Jun Bernardino Trophy is awarded to the Philippine Basketball Association team who wins the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.Previously known as the "Perpetual Trophy", it was created in 2006 and renamed in March 2007 in honor of former PBA commissioner Emilio "Jun" Bernardino, Jr..The trophy is made...
. The Sta. Lucia Realtors
Sta. Lucia Realtors
The Sta. Lucia Realtors was a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association.The Universal Robina Corporation team is one of the founding members of the PBA. Formerly known as Great Taste and Presto-Tivoli Ice Cream, they have won a total of 6 championships. Sta...
needed the maximum seven games to defeat the #1 seed Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants to win their first All-Filipino conference championship.
Format
The following format will be observed for the duration of the conference:- Double-round robin eliminations; 18 games per team; Teams are then seeded by basis on win-loss records. Ties are broken among points differences of the tied teams or by classification games.
- #10 team will be eliminated
- Teams seeded #6, #7, #8 and #9 play in a single-elimination tournament to determine the wildcard qualifier:
- #6 vs. #9 teams
- #7 vs. #8 teams
- Winners of the first round meet each other to determine the wildcard winner
- #3, #4 and #5 teams automatically advance to the best-of-3 quarterfinals:
- #3 team vs. winner of wildcard playoffs
- #4 vs. #5 teams
- #1 and #2 teams automatically advance to the best-of-7 semifinals:
- Winner of first quarterfinal vs. #1
- Winner of second quarterfinal vs. #2
- The winners in the semifinals advance to the best-of-7 Finals. The losers dispute the third-place trophy in a one-game playoff.
Team standings
| Qualified for semifinals | |
| Qualified for quarterfinals | |
| Qualified for wildcards | |
| Eliminated |
| # | |Team | W | L | PCT Winning percentage In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win... | GB Games behind In sports, the phrase games behind or games back , is a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division... | Ties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants | 12 | 6 | .667 | ||
| +10 | ||||||
| 2 | Sta. Lucia Realtors Sta. Lucia Realtors The Sta. Lucia Realtors was a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association.The Universal Robina Corporation team is one of the founding members of the PBA. Formerly known as Great Taste and Presto-Tivoli Ice Cream, they have won a total of 6 championships. Sta... |
12 | 6 | .667 | ||
| -10 | ||||||
| 3 | Alaska Aces Alaska Aces (PBA) The Alaska Aces is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association since 1986 under the ownership of the Alaska Milk Corporation and the owner of 13 PBA championships with the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference as their latest... |
11 | 7 | .611 | 1 | +29 |
| 4 | Red Bull Barako Red Bull Barako The Barako Bull Energy Boosters was a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association that is owned by the Photokina Marketing Corporation... |
11 | 7 | .611 | 1 | -29 |
| 5 | Magnolia Beverage Masters | 10 | 8 | .556 | 2 | |
| 6 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 9 | 9 | .500 | 3 | |
| 7 | Barangay Ginebra Kings Barangay Ginebra Kings The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation... |
8 | 10 | .444 | 4 | |
| 8 | Air21 Express Air21 Express The Barako Bull Energy is a Philippine Basketball Association team that began in 2002.Barako Bull is owned by Energy Food and Drinks Inc., a subsidiary of the Linaheim Corporate Services, owners of the defunct Laguna Lakers of the Metropolitan Basketball Association... |
7 | 11 | .389 | 5 | +16 |
| 9 | Coca-Cola Tigers Coca-Cola Tigers The Powerade Tigers is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 2002 when the then-San Miguel Corporation-owned Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines bought the RFM-owned Cosmos Bottling Corporation. In 2006, the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company under the Coca-Cola... |
7 | 11 | .389 | 5 | -16 |
| 10 | Welcoat Dragons Welcoat Dragons The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association owned by the Asian Coatings Philippines, Inc. that debuted in the league in the 2006-07 PBA season. From 1996-2006, it was a member of the semi-professional Philippine Basketball League,... |
3 | 15 | .167 | 9 |
Schedule
| Win | |
| Loss | |
| OT win | |
| OT loss |
| Team | |Game number | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | |
| Air21 Air21 Express The Barako Bull Energy is a Philippine Basketball Association team that began in 2002.Barako Bull is owned by Energy Food and Drinks Inc., a subsidiary of the Linaheim Corporate Services, owners of the defunct Laguna Lakers of the Metropolitan Basketball Association... |
MBM | ALA | RBB | Coke | SLR | PF | BGK | TNT | RBB | WEL | BGK | ALA | PF | TNT | Coke | MBM | WEL | SLR |
| Alaska Alaska Aces (PBA) The Alaska Aces is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association since 1986 under the ownership of the Alaska Milk Corporation and the owner of 13 PBA championships with the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference as their latest... |
TNT | A21 | Coke | BGK | WEL | MBM | RBB | PF | WEL | Coke | BGK | SLR | A21 | SLR | MBM | RBB | TNT | PF |
| Brgy. Ginebra Barangay Ginebra Kings The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation... |
RBB | TNT | WEL | ALA | PF | SLR | A21 | MBM | Coke | WEL | ALA | A21 | SLR | MBM | Coke | PF | RBB | TNT |
| Coca-Cola Coca-Cola Tigers The Powerade Tigers is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 2002 when the then-San Miguel Corporation-owned Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines bought the RFM-owned Cosmos Bottling Corporation. In 2006, the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company under the Coca-Cola... |
WEL | ALA | MBM | A21 | PF | SLR | TNT | BGK | ALA | SLR | RBB | MBM | WEL | BGK | A21 | PF | RBB | TNT |
| Magnolia | A21 | SLR | PF | Coke | TNT | ALA | WEL | BGK | RBB | PF | TNT | RBB | Coke | BGK | ALA | A21 | SLR | WEL |
| Purefoods | SLR | TNT | MBM | WEL | BGK | Coke | A21 | RBB | ALA | SLR | MBM | TNT | WEL | A21 | BGK | Coke | ALA | RBB |
| Red Bull Red Bull Barako The Barako Bull Energy Boosters was a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association that is owned by the Photokina Marketing Corporation... |
BGK | WEL | A21 | SLR | TNT | ALA | PF | MBM | TNT | A21 | Coke | MBM | SLR | WEL | ALA | BGK | Coke | PF |
| Sta. Lucia Sta. Lucia Realtors The Sta. Lucia Realtors was a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association.The Universal Robina Corporation team is one of the founding members of the PBA. Formerly known as Great Taste and Presto-Tivoli Ice Cream, they have won a total of 6 championships. Sta... |
PF | MBM | TNT | RBB | A21 | BGK | Coke | WEL | PF | Coke | ALA | BGK | RBB | ALA | TNT | WEL | MBM | A21 |
| Talk 'N Text | ALA | PF | BGK | SLR | MBM | RBB | WEL | Coke | A21 | RBB | MBM | PF | WEL | A21 | SLR | ALA | BGK | Coke |
| Welcoat Welcoat Dragons The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association owned by the Asian Coatings Philippines, Inc. that debuted in the league in the 2006-07 PBA season. From 1996-2006, it was a member of the semi-professional Philippine Basketball League,... |
Coke | RBB | BGK | PF | ALA | TNT | MBM | SLR | ALA | BGK | A21 | PF | TNT | Coke | RBB | SLR | A21 | MBM |
Bracket
Wildcard phase
Coca-Cola and Talk 'N Text met in the first wildcard round, with the two teams making a mid-season trade, with Asi TaulavaAsi Taulava
Pauliasi M. Taulava also known as Asi Taulava is a American-born Filipino-Tongan professional basketball player playing in the Philippines for the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association....
going to the Tigers while Ali Peek
Ali Peek
Albert Henry Peek better known as Ali Peek is a Filipino-American professional basketball player who plays for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association. He plays mostly at the Center position, although he is also used as a Power Forward occasionally...
and draft picks going to the Phone Pals. Coke, which had previously denied the Phone Pals of a playoff for the last quarterfinal berth by winning their last elimination round game 2 days earlier, started out strong; the Phone Pals failed to answer to the challenge as they were beaten by the #9 seeds.
Air21 on the other hand faced defending champions Barangay Ginebra Kings
Barangay Ginebra Kings
The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation...
, which were decimated by injuries to Billy Mamaril
Billy Mamaril
John Billy Mamaril is a Filipino professional basketball player currently playing for the Barangay Ginebra Kings. He plays the forward and center positions...
, Mark Caguioa
Mark Caguioa
Mark Anthony Abaño Caguioa is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who plays for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
and personal commitments by Rudy Hatfield
Rudy Hatfield
Rudolf Conse Hatfield II , better known as Rudy Hatfield, is a retired American-Filipino professional basketball player who last played for the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the Philippine Basketball Association....
(Hatfield didn't return) early in the season caused several losses and they had to settle for a wildcard berth. Behind the shooting of team captain Wynne Arboleda
Wynne Arboleda
Wynne Arboleda is a Filipino basketball player playing professionally for the Barako Bull Energy in the Philippine Basketball Association...
, Air21 raced to an early lead. Ginebra cut down the deficit, but while Caguioa was on a fastbreak
Fastbreak
Fast break is an offensive strategy in basketball. In a fast break, a team attempts to move the ball up court and into scoring position as quickly as possible, so that the defense is outnumbered and does not have time to set up. There are various styles of the fast break and the fast break attack...
attempt, Niño Canaleta
Niño Canaleta
Rommel Niño Canaleta is a Filipino professional basketball player of Filipino-American descent. He currently plays for the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the Philippine Basketball Association. A 6'5", 200-pound swingman, he is fondly called by nicknames like KG, The Big Ticket, and The Da Vinci of Dunk...
blocked his shot that virtually ended Ginebra's title defense.
On the final wildcard game, Arboleda wasn't able to sustain his shooting as Taulava and Mark Telan
Mark Telan
Mark Clemence Telan is a Filipino professional basketball player who last suited up for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association. A former De La Salle Green Archer, he was 2-time UAAP basketball Most Valuable Player. Telan entered the professional league in 1999...
had career games to advance to the quarterfinals to face the Alaska Aces
Alaska Aces (PBA)
The Alaska Aces is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association since 1986 under the ownership of the Alaska Milk Corporation and the owner of 13 PBA championships with the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference as their latest...
.
Alaska-Coca-Cola series
Elimination round games: Alaska won both games, 117-106 and 98-94.Alaska ended Coca-Cola's run as the worst-seeded wildcard winner as they were eliminated by the #3 seed. Reigning Most Valuable Player Willie Miller
Willie Miller (basketball player)
Willie V. Miller, Jr. , better known simply as Willie Miller, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barako Bull Energy in the Philippine Basketball Association....
made short work of the Tigers backcourt as Joachim Thoss overran the potent Coke frontcourt by converting outside shots.
Red Bull-Magnolia series
Elimination round games: Red Bull won both games, 94-88 and 107-95.Magnolia and Red Bull renewed their playoffs rivalry with Red Bull forcing the upset, as Magnolia was rated as the top team during the preseason, with Red Bull being decimated by one-sided trades (ironically to Magnolia). Cyrus Baguio
Cyrus Baguio
Cyrus Baguio is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Alaska Aces. He is a former stalwart of the UST Growling Tigers during his college tenure with the team. The former UST star was known for his open court forays and one-on-one skills...
had a coming-out party as he scored a career-high 31 points to win Game 1 for the Bulls. Junthy Valenzuela
Junthy Valenzuela
Junthy Valenzuela is a Filipino basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association, a former Red Bull Barako player who last played for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
outplayed former Red Bull players Lordy Tugade
Lordy Tugade
Lordy Tugade is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays and recently signed by the Petron Blaze Boosters....
and Enrico Villanueva
Enrico Villanueva
Jose Enrico P. Villanueva , better known simply as Enrico Villanueva, and by the nicknames Raging Bull and E-Vill, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the Philippine Basketball Association...
to sweep the Beverage Masters.
The Bulls now clinch their sixth consecutive semifinals appearance.
Purefoods-Red Bull series
Elimination round games: Red Bull won both games, 87-74 and 97-84.Purefoods, owing to a couple of weeks' rest blew out Red Bull which had defeated last season's finalists in Game 1. However, Red Bull came back in Game 2 to put up a defensive stand in the fourth quarter to tie the series, 2-2. Team captain Junthy Valenzuela
Junthy Valenzuela
Junthy Valenzuela is a Filipino basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association, a former Red Bull Barako player who last played for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
kept the Giants at bay when they were making a run in the final minutes, scoring 2 crucial baskets. Purefoods then did their own pull-away at Game 3, crashing the boards at will; Marc Pingris
Marc Pingris
Jean Marc Pingris, Jr. is a Filipino professional basketball player in the PBA for the B-Meg Llamados. He is a versatile 6-foot-5 forward-center that can post up and shoot mid-range jumpshots. He is half-French and half-Filipino...
rebounded a career-high 19 boards.
With a 1-3 series deficit looming, Red Bull again kept a pace with Purefoods in Game 4; however James Yap
James Yap
James Carlos Yap Sr. is a Filipino professional basketball player for the B-Meg Llamados in the Philippine Basketball Association...
injured his groin in the first quarter after scoring ten points and didn't return. Purefoods managed to hold-off Red Bull until Cyrus Baguio
Cyrus Baguio
Cyrus Baguio is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Alaska Aces. He is a former stalwart of the UST Growling Tigers during his college tenure with the team. The former UST star was known for his open court forays and one-on-one skills...
drove to the basket after a pick-and-roll for an unmolested lay-up to tie the game 86-all. Peter June Simon
Peter June Simon
Peter June Simon is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association playing for the B-Meg Llamados. In the 2008 PBA All-Star Game, he was voted as the Most Valuable Player.-College:...
missed his baseline jumper as time ran out to force overtime. In the extra period, Red Bull made a 11-2 run care of three pointers from Celino Cruz
Celino Cruz
Celino Cruz is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Powerade Tigers. He was drafted by the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals nineteenth overall in 2002....
and Francis Adriano
Francis Adriano
Francis "Kiko" Adriano is a professional basketball player in the Asean Basketball League. He currently plays as an import for the SM BritAma. Drafted 6th overall by Sta...
to tie the series once again.
After the injury to Yap, Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio
Ryan Gregorio
Paul Ryan C. Gregorio is a Filipino professional basketball head coach of the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association. He began his PBA head coaching job with the Purefoods TJ Giants in 2002 on an acting capacity and won his first PBA Championship on the same year at the age of 29...
announced prior to Game 5 that Yap would be day-to-day. However, Yap started on Game 5 and Purefoods raced to a 40-17 lead after the first quarter. Red Bull crept up the lead and eventually cut down the lead to two with a minute to go thanks to a trey from Mick Pennisi
Mick Pennisi
Michael Alfio Pennisi , better known as Mick Pennisi, is a Filipino-Australian professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Barako Bull Energy. He was automatically hired by Red Bull in 2000...
. In the ensuing possession, Pingris was fouled on the act of shooting; Pingris missed both of his freethrows to give Red Bull another chance. After the time out and with both teams in penalty, Valenzuela was fouled. Valenzuela converted the first but missed the second, which led to a Kerby Raymundo
Kerby Raymundo
Kerby Mariano Raymundo is a Filipino professional basketball player currently playing for the B-Meg Llamados in the Philippine Basketball Association...
rebound that sealed the win for the Giants.
Needing to win twice in a row to enter the Finals, Red Bull started Game 6 with a 20-1 blast that caught Purefoods flatfooted. The Bulls then cruised on, with Mike Hrabak
Mike Hrabak
Michael Allen Pasana "Mike" Hrabak , is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who most recently played for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. He was drafted second overall by Shell in 2001.-Player Profile:A 6-foot-7 forward, Hrabak is an excellent three...
and Pennisi shooting treys to tie the series for last time, at 3-all. However, Purefoods started out Game 7 strong but the Barakos answered every Giants run to keep pace; however, thanks to misses from the perimeter by Red Bull and Purefoods' transition defense, the Giants were able to clinch their league-leading 12th All-Filipino Cup finals appearance.
Sta. Lucia-Alaska series
Elimination round games: Sta. Lucia won both games, 94-88 and 101-96.Unlike Purefoods which capitalized their long rest, Sta. Lucia had a rusty Game 1 that led to an Alaska blowout. However, Sta. Lucia then had their own blowout game in Game 2 to tie the series. Kelly Williams
Kelly Williams
Kelly Williams is a Filipino-American professional basketball player currently playing for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association...
' dunk at the end of Game 2 was criticized by Alaska coach Tim Cone
Tim Cone
Earl Timothy Cone, better known as Tim Cone, is an American head coach of B-Meg Llamados in the Philippine Basketball Association. He is known for leading the Aces to 13 PBA titles in its franchise history while leading the 1996 Milkmen to a rare PBA Grandslam. He also once coached the Philippine...
as a "lack of class".
With her Cebu
Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
ana mother watching, Williams had a 27-point explosion to pull the Realtors ahead, 2-1. Alaska then turned their offensive game going in Game 4 to tie the series with a 90-83 Game 4 win, leading by as much as 26 points in some stages before the Realtors staged a comeback to cut the lead to two points. Reigning MVP Willie Miller
Willie Miller (basketball player)
Willie V. Miller, Jr. , better known simply as Willie Miller, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barako Bull Energy in the Philippine Basketball Association....
converted three-pointers when the Sta. Lucia came close as he matched Williams' Game 3 output of 27 points to lead all scorers.
The pattern of early blowouts then a furious comeback continued as Sta. Lucia held off Alaska to lead the series, 3-2. Veteran Paolo Mendoza
Paolo Mendoza
Paolo Mendoza in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines) is a Filipino professional basketball player. He last played in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Powerade Tigers. He was drafted by Sta...
relived his collegiate days as he scored 19 points mostly in the early going. John Ferriols
John Ferriols
Hubert John B. Ferriols , better known simply as John Ferriols, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the B-Meg Llamados in the Philippine Basketball Association....
and sophomore Aaron Aban
Aaron Aban
Aaron Abril G. Aban , better known as Aaron Aban, is a Filipino professional basketball player who currently plays for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association. Born in Cagayan de Oro City and went to Colegio de San Juan de Letran in college...
then led another comeback by the Aces to cut down the lead to two. Alaska's Jeffrey Cariaso
Jeffrey Cariaso
Jeffrey J. Cariaso is a retired Filipino professional basketball player of the Philippine Basketball Association. He is the former starting off-guard for the Alaska Aces.-Alaska:...
was ejected from the game after he was assessed with two technical foul
Technical foul
In basketball, a technical foul is any infraction of the rules penalized as a foul which does not involve physical contact during the course of play between players on the court, or is a foul by a non-player. The most common technical foul is for unsportsmanlike conduct...
s that led to a cold period between the two teams in the final 6 minutes. With the score unchanged, Willie Miller converted a three-point play to tie at 90-all but the Realtors then scored the last 5 points of the game to put them one step closer to their first All-Filipino conference Finals stint.
Like Red Bull, Alaska blew out their Game 6, with Miller and Tony dela Cruz
Tony dela Cruz
Anthony Bryan B. dela Cruz , better known simply as Tony dela Cruz, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Alaska Aces in the Philippine Basketball Association....
each scoring more 20 points with 4 others reaching double figures. However, like Red Bull, they were closed out by the #2 seeds as the Realtors pounded on the end game, with Dennis Miranda
Dennis Miranda
Dennis Miranda also known as Denok Miranda is a Filipino professional basketball player. He currently plays in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Petron Blaze Boosters...
nailing the trey that put the game out reach.
The franchise qualifies for their first ever All-Filipino conference finals stint.
Third place playoff
Finals
Broadcast notes
The Associated Broadcasting CompanyAssociated Broadcasting Company
The Associated Broadcasting Company, Inc is a television network in the Philippines, with main broadcast facilities and transmitter located at 762 Quirino Highway, San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City. The network was previously known as the , Associated Broadcasting Company remains the legal...
broadcast all of the games in Philippine TV. Their finals broadcasters are:
| Game | Play-by-play | Analyst Color commentator A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the... |
|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Ed Picson | Quinito Henson Quinito Henson Quinito Henson is a Filipino sports analyst and television color commentator. His newspaper column, Sporting Chance, has appeared in the Philippine Star since the 1980s... and Norman Black Norman Black Norman Augustus Black is an American retired professional basketball player in the CBA, NBA, and PBA who has since settled in the Philippines. He is also a former head coach of the San Miguel Beermen, Mobiline Phone Pals, Pop Cola 800s, and Sta. Lucia Realtors... |
| Game 2 | Mico Halili | Jason Webb Jason Webb Jason Webb is a former professional soccer player and a Partner and Co-Founder of Soccer Shots, a national soccer program based in the Harrisburg, Pa. area that introduces children ages 3 – 8 to the game of soccer, as well as character development and fundamental life skills.Webb moved from... and Norman Black Norman Black Norman Augustus Black is an American retired professional basketball player in the CBA, NBA, and PBA who has since settled in the Philippines. He is also a former head coach of the San Miguel Beermen, Mobiline Phone Pals, Pop Cola 800s, and Sta. Lucia Realtors... |
| Game 3 | Mico Halili | Rado Dimalibot and Norman Black Norman Black Norman Augustus Black is an American retired professional basketball player in the CBA, NBA, and PBA who has since settled in the Philippines. He is also a former head coach of the San Miguel Beermen, Mobiline Phone Pals, Pop Cola 800s, and Sta. Lucia Realtors... |
| Game 4 | Ed Picson | Quinito Henson Quinito Henson Quinito Henson is a Filipino sports analyst and television color commentator. His newspaper column, Sporting Chance, has appeared in the Philippine Star since the 1980s... and Norman Black Norman Black Norman Augustus Black is an American retired professional basketball player in the CBA, NBA, and PBA who has since settled in the Philippines. He is also a former head coach of the San Miguel Beermen, Mobiline Phone Pals, Pop Cola 800s, and Sta. Lucia Realtors... |
| Game 5 | Ed Picson | Quinito Henson Quinito Henson Quinito Henson is a Filipino sports analyst and television color commentator. His newspaper column, Sporting Chance, has appeared in the Philippine Star since the 1980s... and Norman Black Norman Black Norman Augustus Black is an American retired professional basketball player in the CBA, NBA, and PBA who has since settled in the Philippines. He is also a former head coach of the San Miguel Beermen, Mobiline Phone Pals, Pop Cola 800s, and Sta. Lucia Realtors... |
| Game 6 | Mico Halili | Jason Webb Jason Webb Jason Webb is a former professional soccer player and a Partner and Co-Founder of Soccer Shots, a national soccer program based in the Harrisburg, Pa. area that introduces children ages 3 – 8 to the game of soccer, as well as character development and fundamental life skills.Webb moved from... and Norman Black Norman Black Norman Augustus Black is an American retired professional basketball player in the CBA, NBA, and PBA who has since settled in the Philippines. He is also a former head coach of the San Miguel Beermen, Mobiline Phone Pals, Pop Cola 800s, and Sta. Lucia Realtors... |
| Game 7 | Richard del Rosario | Jason Webb Jason Webb Jason Webb is a former professional soccer player and a Partner and Co-Founder of Soccer Shots, a national soccer program based in the Harrisburg, Pa. area that introduces children ages 3 – 8 to the game of soccer, as well as character development and fundamental life skills.Webb moved from... |
Furthermore, the ABS-CBN News Channel
ABS-CBN News Channel
ABS-CBN News Channel or better known as ANC is the Philippines first 24-hour news channel broadcasting both in cable television domestically and in satellite television internationally via The Filipino Channel, owned and operated by the ABS-CBN Corporation under its ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs...
carried the Finals live overseas. Sports Radio 918
DZSR
DZSR Sports Radio 918 is an AM station owned and operated by Philippine Broadcasting Service in the Philippines. The programming and the format of the station is Sports. the station's studio is located at 4th Floor, PIA Building, Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, and the transmitter is located...
carried the games live on AM radio.
Featured songs include "How Far We've Come
How Far We've Come
"How Far We've Come" is the lead single from Matchbox Twenty's retrospective collection, Exile on Mainstream, which was released on October 2, 2007. The music video premiered on VH1's Top 20 Countdown on September 1, 2007. The CD single comes with two live covers as B-sides; "Remedy" by The Black...
" by Matchbox Twenty
Matchbox Twenty
Matchbox Twenty is an American rock band, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1995...
and "Shadow of the Day
Shadow of the Day
"Shadow of the Day" is a song by American rock band Linkin Park. The song was released as the third single from their third album, Minutes to Midnight, on October 16, 2007...
" by Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
.
Awards
- Finals Most Valuable Player: Dennis EspinoDennis EspinoDennis Espino is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who last played for the Powerade Tigers and is now serving them as team ambassador. He was drafted first overall by Sta...
(Sta. Lucia) - Best Player of the Conference: Kelly WilliamsKelly WilliamsKelly Williams is a Filipino-American professional basketball player currently playing for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association...
(Sta. Lucia) - Players of the Week:
- October 14-21: James YapJames YapJames Carlos Yap Sr. is a Filipino professional basketball player for the B-Meg Llamados in the Philippine Basketball Association...
(Purefoods) - October 22-28: Junthy ValenzuelaJunthy ValenzuelaJunthy Valenzuela is a Filipino basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association, a former Red Bull Barako player who last played for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
(Red Bull) - October 29-November 4: Willie MillerWillie Miller (basketball player)Willie V. Miller, Jr. , better known simply as Willie Miller, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barako Bull Energy in the Philippine Basketball Association....
(Alaska) - November 5-11: Froilan BaguionFroilan BaguionFroilan Baguion is a professional basketball player in the Asean Basketball League who plays for the Chang Thailand Slammers...
(Welcoat) - November 12-18: Lordy TugadeLordy TugadeLordy Tugade is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays and recently signed by the Petron Blaze Boosters....
(Magnolia) and Nic BelascoNic BelascoNicholas Belasco better known as Nic Belasco, is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who last played for the Sta. Lucia Realtors. He was drafted 2nd overall by Sunkist in 1997.-Player Profile:Belasco is one of the many reliable big men in the league...
(Welcoat) - November 19-25: James YapJames YapJames Carlos Yap Sr. is a Filipino professional basketball player for the B-Meg Llamados in the Philippine Basketball Association...
(Purefoods, 2nd time) and Junthy ValenzuelaJunthy ValenzuelaJunthy Valenzuela is a Filipino basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association, a former Red Bull Barako player who last played for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
(Red Bull, 2nd time) - November 26-December 2: Jeffrey CariasoJeffrey CariasoJeffrey J. Cariaso is a retired Filipino professional basketball player of the Philippine Basketball Association. He is the former starting off-guard for the Alaska Aces.-Alaska:...
(Alaska) and Asi TaulavaAsi TaulavaPauliasi M. Taulava also known as Asi Taulava is a American-born Filipino-Tongan professional basketball player playing in the Philippines for the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association....
(Coca-Cola) - December 3-9: Kelly WilliamsKelly WilliamsKelly Williams is a Filipino-American professional basketball player currently playing for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association...
(Sta. Lucia) - December 10-16: Asi TaulavaAsi TaulavaPauliasi M. Taulava also known as Asi Taulava is a American-born Filipino-Tongan professional basketball player playing in the Philippines for the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association....
(Coca-Cola, 2nd time) - December 17-23: Ryan ReyesRyan ReyesRyan Jay Reyes is a professional Filipino / American basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association and is a shooting guard for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters. Nicknamed "D-Energizer" for his energetic style of play, he was drafted third overall by the Sta...
(Sta. Lucia; rookie) - December 24-30: Sunday SalvacionSunday SalvacionSunday Salvacion is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association currently playing for the Barako Bull Energy...
(Brgy. Ginebra) - December 31-January 6: James YapJames YapJames Carlos Yap Sr. is a Filipino professional basketball player for the B-Meg Llamados in the Philippine Basketball Association...
(Purefoods, 3rd time) and Kelly WilliamsKelly WilliamsKelly Williams is a Filipino-American professional basketball player currently playing for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association...
(Sta. Lucia, 2nd time) - January 7-13: Nelbert OmolonNelbert OmolonNelbert Omolon is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Meralco Bolts. He is a very versatile player who can score inside and outside, and can play multiple positions as well...
(Sta. Lucia) - January 14-20: Asi TaulavaAsi TaulavaPauliasi M. Taulava also known as Asi Taulava is a American-born Filipino-Tongan professional basketball player playing in the Philippines for the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association....
(Coca-Cola, 3rd time) and Mark TelanMark TelanMark Clemence Telan is a Filipino professional basketball player who last suited up for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association. A former De La Salle Green Archer, he was 2-time UAAP basketball Most Valuable Player. Telan entered the professional league in 1999...
(Coca-Cola) - January 21-27: Willie MillerWillie Miller (basketball player)Willie V. Miller, Jr. , better known simply as Willie Miller, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barako Bull Energy in the Philippine Basketball Association....
(Alaska, 2nd time) - January 28-February 3: Kelly WilliamsKelly WilliamsKelly Williams is a Filipino-American professional basketball player currently playing for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association...
(Sta. Lucia, 3rd time) and Junthy ValenzuelaJunthy ValenzuelaJunthy Valenzuela is a Filipino basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association, a former Red Bull Barako player who last played for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
(Red Bull, 3rd time) - February 4-10: James YapJames YapJames Carlos Yap Sr. is a Filipino professional basketball player for the B-Meg Llamados in the Philippine Basketball Association...
(Purefoods, 4th time)
- October 14-21: James Yap
Stats leaders
| Category | Player | Team | Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points Point (basketball) Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws .... per game |
Willie Miller Willie Miller (basketball player) Willie V. Miller, Jr. , better known simply as Willie Miller, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barako Bull Energy in the Philippine Basketball Association.... |
Alaska Aces Alaska Aces (PBA) The Alaska Aces is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association since 1986 under the ownership of the Alaska Milk Corporation and the owner of 13 PBA championships with the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference as their latest... |
23.1 |
| Rebounds Rebound (basketball) A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made... per game |
Asi Taulava Asi Taulava Pauliasi M. Taulava also known as Asi Taulava is a American-born Filipino-Tongan professional basketball player playing in the Philippines for the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association.... |
Coca-Cola Tigers Coca-Cola Tigers The Powerade Tigers is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 2002 when the then-San Miguel Corporation-owned Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines bought the RFM-owned Cosmos Bottling Corporation. In 2006, the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company under the Coca-Cola... |
14.7 |
| Assists Assist (basketball) In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist... per game |
Jayjay Helterbrand Jayjay Helterbrand Anthony Jason James Helterbrand , better known as Jayjay Helterbrand, is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Barangay Ginebra Kings... |
Barangay Ginebra Kings Barangay Ginebra Kings The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation... |
6.8 |
| Steals Steal (basketball) In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player... per game |
Dondon Hontiveros Dondon Hontiveros Donaldo "Dondon" Hontiveros is a Filipino professional basketball player actively playing for the Petron Blaze Boosters in the Philippine Basketball Association. He has a son named Isaiah with singer and fellow Cebu native Gail Blanco.A devout Christian, Hontiveros studied and honed his basketball... |
Magnolia Beverage Masters | 1.70 |
| Blocks Block (basketball) In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot... per game |
Ali Peek Ali Peek Albert Henry Peek better known as Ali Peek is a Filipino-American professional basketball player who plays for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association. He plays mostly at the Center position, although he is also used as a Power Forward occasionally... |
Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 1.71 |
| Field goal Field goal (basketball) In basketball, the term field goal refers to a basket scored on any shot or tap other than a free throw, worth two or three points depending on the distance of the attempt from the basket. "Field Goal" is the official terminology used by the National Basketball Association in their rule book,... percentage |
Samigue Eman Samigue Eman Samigue Eman is a Filipino professional basketball player currently playing for the Alaska Aces in the Philippine Basketball Association.Eman was the 2nd overall draft pick of the Magnolia Beverage Masters in 2007... |
Magnolia Beverage Masters | .609 |
| Free throw Free throw In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team... percentage |
Ren-Ren Ritualo Ren-Ren Ritualo Florendo Ritualo, Jr. better known as Renren Ritualo is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Shopinas.com Clickers... |
Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | .909 |
| Three-point field goal Three-point field goal A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket... percentage |
Gec Chia Gec Chia George Christian T. Chia , better known as Gec Chia, is a Filipino professional basketball player who last played for the Barako Bull Energy Boosters in the Philippine Basketball Association... |
Air21 Express Air21 Express The Barako Bull Energy is a Philippine Basketball Association team that began in 2002.Barako Bull is owned by Energy Food and Drinks Inc., a subsidiary of the Linaheim Corporate Services, owners of the defunct Laguna Lakers of the Metropolitan Basketball Association... |
.438 |
| Turnovers Turnover (basketball) In basketball, a turnover occurs when a player from one team gives possession to a member of the opposing team by losing the ball. This can result from the ball being stolen, the player making mistakes such as stepping out or throwing the ball out of bounds, or committing a violation or committing... per game |
Mark Telan Mark Telan Mark Clemence Telan is a Filipino professional basketball player who last suited up for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association. A former De La Salle Green Archer, he was 2-time UAAP basketball Most Valuable Player. Telan entered the professional league in 1999... |
Coca-Cola Tigers Coca-Cola Tigers The Powerade Tigers is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 2002 when the then-San Miguel Corporation-owned Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines bought the RFM-owned Cosmos Bottling Corporation. In 2006, the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company under the Coca-Cola... |
3.8 |