1998 San Miguel Beermen season

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1998 San Miguel Beermen season
Head coachRon Jacobs
Owner(s)San Miguel Corporation
All-Filipino Cup results
Record18–10
(64.3%)
Place2nd
Playoff finishFinals (def. by Alaska 3–4)
Commissioner's Cup results
Record12–9
(57.1%)
Place2nd
Playoff finishFinals (def. by Alaska 2-4)
Governors Cup results
Record13–12
(52%)
Place4th
Playoff finishSemifinals (def. by Shell)
San Miguel Beermen seasons
← 1997
1999  →

The 1998 San Miguel Beermen season was the 24th season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Draft picks[edit]

Round Pick Player Nationality College
1 2 Noy Castillo  United States The Citadel
1 5 William Antonio  United States Chaminade

Notable dates[edit]

February 1: San Miguel Beermen got excellent debuts from its two rookies Danny Ildefonso and Steve Smith as the Beermen pulled away with an 86-67 rout of Pop Cola at the start of the All-Filipino Cup.[1]

April 14: San Miguel booked the first finals seat in the All-Filipino Cup with their 14th win against six losses, defeating Pop Cola, 89-69.

Runner-up finish[edit]

After two seasons of non-finals appearance, the San Miguel Beermen return to the championship series twice in the season but could only end up with runner-up finishes. The Beermen placed second behind Alaska Milkmen in the eliminations of the All-Filipino Cup with seven wins and four losses.[2] They won eight games in the semifinals for a league-best 15-6 won-loss record. The Beermen played the Alaska Milkmen in the best-of-seven championship. In the battle between two American coaches, Ron Jacobs and Alaska's Tim Cone, the Beermen blew a 3-2 series advantage, they lost Game six by a big margin and in the deciding seventh game on May 8, the San Miguel Beermen folded up to the pressure as the game reaches its climax, losing by nine points to Alaska Milkmen, 63-72, before a jampacked crowd at the Araneta Coliseum.

In the Commissioner's Cup, the Beermen bring back last year's best import Jeff Ward, who was good for only six games when coach Ron Jacobs gambled on a smaller import in the returning Lamont Strothers. The Beermen scored a 3-0 sweep over Pop Cola in the best-of-five semifinal series and went on to play the Alaska Milkmen in a championship rematch. The Milkmen paraded a taller import Devin Davis and they jump off to a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-seven finals, the Beermen were able to tie the series at two games apiece by winning Games three and four, but Alaska came back with a victory in Game five and finish off the Beermen in six games.

Roster[edit]

San Miguel Beermen roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt.
G 4 Philippines Tanquingcen, Siot 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) UST
C 5 Philippines Padilla, Ronilo 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Cebu
G 7 Philippines Mustre, Michael 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Letran
F 8 Philippines Caidic, Allan 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) UE
C 10 Philippines Ildefonso, Danny 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) National-U
F 11 Philippines Asaytono, Nelson 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Manila
F/C 12 Philippines Dignadice, Yves 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) STI WNU
F 14 Philippines Santamaria, Joey 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) De La Salle
G 15 Philippines Naron, Edward 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Visayas
G 17 Philippines Racela, Olsen 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Ateneo
F 18 Philippines Dela Cruz, Art 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) San Sebastian
F/C 25 Philippines Abuda, Freddie 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Cebu
F 28 Philippines Villamin, Elpidio 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
G 34 United States Antonio, William 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Chaminade
G 42 United States Smith, Steven 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) US International
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured

Transactions[edit]

Trades[edit]

Off-season To Formula Shell
Noy Castillo
To San Miguel
Danny Ildefonso
Off-season To Gordon's Gin
Paul Alvarez
To San Miguel
Steven Smith

Additions[edit]

Player Signed Former team
Joey Santamaria Off-season Mobiline Phone Pals
Elpidio Villamin Mobiline Phone Pals

Recruited imports[edit]

Tournament Name Number Position University/College Duration
Commissioner's Cup Jeff Ward 21 Center-Forward Tiffin University May 23 to June 14
Lamont Strothers 42 Guard-Forward Christopher Newport June 20 to August 14
August 30 to December 1
Commissioner's Cup
Governor's Cup
Governors' Cup
Larry Robinson 20 Guard-Forward Centenary College August 30 to December 1

References[edit]

  1. ^ "SMB downs Pop as PBA honors five decades' best". Manila Standard.
  2. ^ "Refs' calls get Ron Jacobs' goat". Manila Standard.