1997 PBA season

Duration	February 16 – December 14, 1997
Number of teams	8
TV partner(s)	Vintage Sports (IBC)
1997 PBA Draft
Top draft pick	Andy Seigle
Picked by	Mobiline Cellulars
Season MVP	Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods Carne Norte Beefies)
All-Filipino Cup champions	Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys
All-Filipino Cup runners-up	Gordon's Gin Boars
Commissioner's Cup champions	Gordon's Gin Boars
Commissioner's Cup runners-up	Alaska Milkmen
Governors Cup champions	Alaska Milkmen
Governors Cup runners-up	Purefoods Carne Norte Beefies
Seasons
← 1996 1998 →

The 1997 PBA season was the 23rd season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Board of governors

Executive committee

Emilio P. Bernardino, Jr. (Commissioner)
Nazario L. Avendaño (Chairman, representing San Miguel Beermen)
Bernabe L. Navarro, Jr. (Vice-Chairman, representing Gordon's Gin Boars)
Reynaldo G. Gamboa (Treasurer, representing Formula Shell Zoommasters)

Teams

Team	Company	Governor	Alternate Governor
Alaska Milkmen	Alaska Milk Corporation	Wilfred Steven Uytengsu	Joaquin Trillo
Formula Shell Zoommasters	Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation	Reynaldo Gamboa	Eliseo Santiago
Gordon's Gin Boars	La Tondeña Distillers, Inc.	Bernabe Navarro, Jr.	Roberto Eduardo
Mobiline Phone Pals	Lapanday Holdings Corporation	Luis F. Lorenzo	Ignatius F. Yenko
Pop Cola 800s	RFM Corporation	Elmer Yanga	Atty. Aurora Timbol
Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs	Purefoods Corporation	Teodoro Dimayuga	Eliezer Capacio
San Miguel Beermen	San Miguel Corporation	Nazario Avendaño
Sta. Lucia Realtors	Sta. Lucia Realty and Development Corporation	Manuel Encarnado	Vicente R. Santos

Season highlights

For the first time in league history, the top two picks of the Annual Rookie draft were born outside the Philippines, 6–9 Andrew John Seigle, and Nic Belasco were selected at numbers one and two, respectively. ^[1] ^[2]
Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys and Gordon's Gin Boars (formerly Ginebra) played in the All-Filipino Cup finals. This is only the second time the two rivals meet in a championship series. Gordon's playing coach Sonny Jaworski became the oldest player to play in a PBA finals series at age 51. Purefoods rookie coach Eric Altamirano won his first title as a head mentor.
Gordon's Gin Boars ended a six-year title drought for the La Tondeña franchise by winning the Commissioner's Cup title over defending champion Alaska Milkmen.
The Alaska Milkmen retains the Governors' Cup title for the fourth straight time and defend the only crown left in their grandslam conquest last season. Alaska has overtaken the defunct Presto franchise as the fourth winningest ballclub in the PBA.
Alvin Patrimonio won his fourth MVP award, tying Ramon Fernandez for the most number of MVP awards. ^[3]

Opening ceremonies

The muses for the participating teams are as follows:

Team	Muse
Alaska Milkmen	Carmela Lastimosa & Sha Sha Hawkins
Formula Shell Zoom Masters	Teresa Herrera
Gordon's Gin Boars	Ruffa Mae Quinto
Mobiline Cellulars	Joey Mead
Pop Cola Bottlers	Gill Baltazar
Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys	Ciara Sotto
San Miguel Beermen	Leng Damiles
Sta. Lucia Realtors	Sherilyn Reyes

Champions

All-Filipino Cup: Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys
Commissioner's Cup: Gordon's Gin Boars
Governor's Cup: Alaska Milkmen
Team with best win–loss percentage: Alaska Milkmen (35–25, .583)
Best Team of the Year: Alaska Milkmen (2nd)

All-Filipino Cup

Main article: 1997 PBA All-Filipino Cup

Elimination round

Pos	Team v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Qualification
1	Gordon's Gin Boars	10	4	.714	—	Advance to semifinals
2	Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys	8	6	.571	2
3	Sta. Lucia Realtors	8	6	.571	2
4	San Miguel Beermen	7	7	.500	3
5	Mobiline Cellulars	7	7	.500	3
6	Alaska Milkmen	6	8	.429	4
7	Pop Cola Bottlers	5	9	.357	5
8	Formula Shell Zoom Masters	5	9	.357	5

Source:^{[citation needed]}

Semifinal round

Cumulative standings

Pos	Team v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Qualification
1	Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys	14	8	.636^[a]	—	Advance to the Finals
2	Gordon's Gin Boars	14	8	.636^[a]	—	Advance to the Finals
3	Sta. Lucia Realtors	12	10	.545	2	Proceed to third-place playoff
4	San Miguel Beermen	11	11	.500	3	Proceed to third-place playoff
5	Mobiline Cellulars	9	13	.409	5

Source:^{[citation needed]}
Notes:

^ ^a ^b Head-to-head record: Purefoods 3–1 Gordon's

Semifinal round standings:

Pos	Team v t e	W	L
1	Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys	6	2
2	San Miguel Beermen	4	4
3	Gordon's Gin Boars	4	4
4	Sta. Lucia Realtors	4	4
5	Mobiline Cellulars	2	6

Source:^{[citation needed]}

Third place playoff

Team 1	Score	Team 2
(3) Sta. Lucia Realtors	75–64	(4) San Miguel Beermen

Finals

Main article: 1997 PBA All-Filipino Cup Finals

Team 1	Series	Team 2	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7
(1) Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys	4–2	(2) Gordon's Gin Boars	103–90	91–73	83–92	94–84	95–96	82–73	—

Finals MVP: Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods)
Best Player of the Conference: Nelson Asaytono (San Miguel)

Commissioner's Cup

Main article: 1997 PBA Commissioner's Cup

Elimination round

Pos	Team v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Qualification
1	Gordon's Gin Boars	6	4	.600	—	Advance to semifinals
2	San Miguel Beermen	6	4	.600	—
3	Formula Shell Zoom Masters	6	4	.600	—
4	Sta. Lucia Realtors	6	4	.600	—
5	Alaska Milkmen	5	5	.500	1
6	Mobiline Cellulars	4	6	.400	2
7	Pop Cola Bottlers	4	6	.400	2
8	Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys	3	7	.300	3

Source:^{[citation needed]}

Semifinal round

Cumulative standings

Pos	Team v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Qualification
1	Alaska Milkmen	11	7	.611^[a]	—	Advance to the Finals^[b]
2	Gordon's Gin Boars	11	7	.611^[a]	—	Guaranteed Finals berth playoff
3	San Miguel Beermen	11	7	.611^[a]	—	Qualify to Finals berth playoff
4	Sta. Lucia Realtors	8	10	.444^[c]	3	Proceed to third-place playoff
5	Formula Shell Zoom Masters	8	10	.444^[c]	3

Source:^{[citation needed]}
Notes:

^ ^a ^b ^c Head-to-head quotient: Alaska 1.041. Gordon's 0.994, San Miguel 0.945^[4]
^ If a team outside the top two teams wins at least five semifinal round games, then it and the second-placed team will playoff for the last Finals berth; otherwise, the top 2 teams qualify outright.
^ ^a ^b Head-to-head record: Sta. Lucia 2–1 Shell

Semifinal round standings:

Pos	Team v t e	W	L	Qualification
1	Alaska Milkmen	6	2
2	Gordon's Gin Boars	5	3
3	San Miguel Beermen	5	3	Qualify to Finals berth playoff^[a]
4	Sta. Lucia Realtors	2	6
5	Formula Shell Zoom Masters	2	6

Source:^{[citation needed]}
Notes:

^ Alaska qualified outright as #1 seeded team, Gordon's Gin guaranteed finals berth playoff as #2 seeded team; Finals berth playoff: Gordon's Gin 106–100 San Miguel (2OT)

Third place playoff

Team 1	Score	Team 2
(3) San Miguel Beermen	96–95	(4) Sta. Lucia Realtors

Finals

Main article: 1997 PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals

Team 1	Series	Team 2	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7
(1) Alaska Milkmen	2–4	(2) Gordon's Gin Boars	89–99	96–102	86–87	108–90	86–81	79–105	—

Finals MVP: Marlou Aquino (Gordon's Gin)
Best Player of the Conference: Kenneth Duremdes (Alaska)
Best Import of the Conference: Jeff Ward (San Miguel)

Governors' Cup

Main article: 1997 PBA Governors' Cup

Elimination round

Pos	Team v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Qualification
1	San Miguel Beermen	9	5	.643^[a]	—	Advance to semifinals
2	Alaska Milkmen	9	5	.643^[a]	—	Advance to semifinals
3	Sta. Lucia Realtors	9	5	.643^[a]	—	Twice-to-beat in the quarterfinals
4	Purefoods Carne Norte Beefies	8	6	.571	1	Twice-to-beat in the quarterfinals
5	Mobiline Cellulars	7	7	.500^[b]	2	Twice-to-win in the quarterfinals
6	Gordon's Gin Boars	7	7	.500^[b]	2	Twice-to-win in the quarterfinals
7	Pop Cola Sizzlers	5	9	.357	4
8	Formula Shell Zoom Masters	2	12	.143	7

Source:^{[citation needed]}
Notes:

^ ^a ^b ^c Head-to-head quotient: San Miguel 1.027, Alaska 1.000, Sta. Lucia 0.975
^ ^a ^b Head-to-head record: Mobiline 2–0 Gordon's

Playoffs

Quarterfinals (Higher seeds twice-to-beat)			Semifinals (Best-of-5 series)			Finals (Best-of-7 series)

			1	San Miguel	2
4	Purefoods	93	4	Purefoods	3
5	Mobiline	91				4	Purefoods	1
						2	Alaska	4
			2	Alaska	3
3	Sta. Lucia	102	3	Sta. Lucia	0
6	Gordon's Gin	93				Third place

						1	San Miguel	99
						3	Sta. Lucia	89

Finals

Main article: 1997 PBA Governors' Cup Finals

Team 1	Series	Team 2	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7
(2) Alaska Milkmen	4–1	(4) Purefoods Carne Norte Beefies	76–87	85–79	96–85	92–75	94–66	—	—

Finals MVP: Johnny Abarrientos (Alaska)
Best Player of the Conference: Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods)
Best Import of the Conference: Larry Robinson (San Miguel)

Individual awards

Most Valuable Player: Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods)
Rookie of the Year: Andy Seigle (Mobiline)
Sportsmanship Award: Freddie Abuda (San Miguel)
Most Improved Player: Bong Ravena (Purefoods)
Defensive Player of the Year: Freddie Abuda (San Miguel)
Mythical Five:
- Johnny Abarrientos (Alaska)
- Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods)
- Marlou Aquino (Gordon's Gin)
- Vince Hizon (Gordon's Gin)
- Nelson Asaytono (San Miguel)
Mythical Second Team:
- Noli Locsin (Gordon's Gin)
- Dindo Pumaren (Purefoods)
- Bong Ravena (Purefoods)
- Jun Limpot (Sta. Lucia)
- Jerry Codiñera (Purefoods)
All Defensive Team:
- Jerry Codiñera (Purefoods)
- Freddie Abuda (San Miguel)
- Johnny Abarrientos (Alaska)
- Jeffrey Cariaso (Mobiline)
- Marlou Aquino (Gordon's Gin)

Awards given by the PBA Press Corps

Coach of the Year: Ron Jacobs (San Miguel)
Mr. Quality Minutes: Paul Alvarez (San Miguel)
Executive of the Year: Simon Mossesgeld (Purefoods)
Comeback Player of the Year: Paul Alvarez (San Miguel)
Referee of the Year: Ernesto de Leon

Cumulative standings

Team	GP	W	L	PCT
Alaska Milkmen	60	35	25	.583
Gordon's Gin Boars	68	39	29	.574
San Miguel Beermen	63	35	28	.556
Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys/Carne Norte Beefies	63	34	29	.540
Sta. Lucia Realtors	61	31	30	.508
Mobiline Cellulars/Phone Pals	47	20	27	.426
Pop Cola Bottlers	38	14	24	.368
Formula Shell Zoom Masters	46	15	31	.326

References

^ Seigle going up against PBA giants
^ Pop Cola's Fil-Am recruit also fails to impress in tuneup game
^ "Patrimonio wins record-equalling 4th MVP award". Manila Standard.
^ "SMB to Gordon's; Let's do it today". Manila Standard.

1997 PBA season

Team seasons

Succession

1996

All-Filipino Cup

1998

1996

Commissioner's Cup
1998

1996

Governors' Cup
1998

v t e Philippine Basketball Association seasons
1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2019 2020 2021 2022–23 2023–24