1999 PBA season

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1999 PBA season
1999 PBA season
Duration February 7, 1999 – December 12, 1999
Number of teams 9
TV partner(s) VTV (IBC)
Draft
Top draft pick Sonny Alvarado
Picked by Tanduay Rhum Masters
Conferences
All-Filipino Cup champions Formula Shell
  Runners-up Tanduay Rhum Masters
Commissioner's Cup champions San Miguel Beermen
  Runners-up Formula Shell
Governors Cup champions San Miguel Beermen
  Runners-up Alaska Milkmen
Awards
Season MVP Benjie Paras
Seasons
< 1998
2000  >

The 1999 PBA season was the 25th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Season highlights

  • A new era began with the entry of Fil-foreign cagers such as Asi Taulava and Eric Menk, during the opening ceremonies, the PBA honored basketball greats in their respective era as the all-time first five, nominated in each decade from 1950s-1990s were Caloy Loyzaga, Narciso Bernardo, Robert Jaworski, Hector Calma and Alvin Patrimonio, surprisingly absent from the list was Ramon Fernandez, who was then the MBA Commissioner.
  • The Opening highlights of the season went head to head against the MBA involving the network war, the MBA backed by ABS-CBN used its roster of stars for their opening, while the PBA sought the alliance of GMA Network to celebrate their tradition of making the league's opening ceremonies with a big bang.
  • The PBA transferred from the Cuneta Astrodome to the PhilSports Arena as their main playing venue.
  • The league changes their playdates from Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays to Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Friday games were still held exclusively at the Araneta Coliseum while the Sunday games are played at the PhilSports Arena.
  • The Tanduay Rhum Masters returned to the PBA after a 12-year absence.
  • During the off-season, the league allowed each team to have a direct-hire Filipino-Foreigner recruit as their answer to the increasing popularity of rival basketball league, the Metropolitan Basketball Association.[1]
  • Formula Shell became the 10th team to win the All-Filipino crown, and won their first back-to-back championships, the underdog Shell team led by Benjie Paras, Victor Pablo and Gerry Esplana, defied the odds by beating the stronger Tanduay ballclub, composed of powerhouse rookies Sonny Alvarado, Mark Telan, Chris Cantonjos and Eric Menk.
  • The San Miguel Beermen, under new coach Jong Uichico, ended a five-year title-drought and won the final two conferences of the season to tie the legendary Crispa Redmanizers for the most championships with 13.

Opening ceremonies

The muses for the participating teams are as follows:

Team Muse
Alaska Milkmen
Barangay Ginebra Kings Ruffa Gutierrez
Formula Shell Zoom Masters Francine Prieto
Pop Cola 800s Cris Villonco
Mobiline Phone Pals
Purefoods TJ Hotdogs
San Miguel Beermen Aileen Damiles
Sta. Lucia Realtors
Tanduay Gold Masters Ara Mina

Champions

Individual awards

Awards given by the PBA Press Corps

  • Coach of the Year: Perry Ronquillo (Shell)
  • Mr. Quality Minutes: Rodney Santos (Alaska)
  • Executive of the Year: Jun Bernardino (PBA commissioner)
  • Comeback Player of the Year: Benjie Paras (Shell)
  • Referee of the Year: Ernie de Leon

Cumulative standings

Team GP W L PCT
San Miguel Beermen 55 35 20 .636
Alaska Milkmen 56 32 24 .571
Shell Velocity 56 32 24 .571
Tanduay Rhum Masters 50 28 22 .560
Mobiline Phone Pals 37 18 19 .487
Sta. Lucia Realtors 42 18 24 .429
Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs 51 20 31 .392
Barangay Ginebra Kings 42 15 27 .358
Pop Cola 800s 33 8 25 .242

References

  1. ↑ Tighter PBA rules on imported cagers, Philippine Headline News Online
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