1998 PBA Governors' Cup finals

The 1998 PBA Governors Cup finals was the best-of-7 basketball championship series of the 1998 PBA Governors Cup, and the conclusion of the conference playoffs. The Formula Shell Super Unleaded and Mobiline Phone Pals played for the 71st championship contested by the league and a rematch of their one-game finale in the 1998 PBA Centennial Cup.

1998 PBA Governors Cup finals

Team Coach Wins Formula Shell Super Unleaded Perry Ronquillo 4 Mobiline Phone Pals Eric Altamirano 3
Dates	November 24 – December 9, 1998
MVP	Benjie Paras
Television	VTV (IBC)
Radio network	DWFM

Formula Shell wins their third PBA title and their first in six years, with a 4–3 series victory over the Mobiline Phone Pals.

Benjie Paras won his first PBA Finals MVP in Governors' Cup Finals.

Qualification

Shell		Mobiline
Finished 9–6 (.600)	Eliminations		Finished 9–6 (.600)
Finished 12–9 (.571)	Semifinals		Finished 12–9 (.571)
Won against San Miguel, 87–83	Playoff		Won against Purefoods, 84–80

Series scoring summary

Team	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7	Wins
Formula Shell	110	67	78	109	81	80	93	4
Mobiline	90	94	81	97	88	77	91	3

Games summary

Game 1

VTV

November 24

Formula Shell 110, Mobiline Phone Pals 90
Pts: John Best 30		Pts: Artemus McClary 31
Shell leads series, 1–0

Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

Game 2

VTV

November 27

Formula Shell 67, Mobiline Phone Pals 94

Series tied, 1–1

Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

Game 3

VTV

November 29

Formula Shell 78, Mobiline Phone Pals 81
Pts: John Best 25		Pts: Silas Mills 25
Mobiline leads series, 2–1

Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

Silas Mills and Tee McClary combined for the last four points of the Phone Pals after Shell briefly took the upper hand on John Best' jumper, 78–77.

Game 4

VTV

December 1

Formula Shell 109, Mobiline Phone Pals 97
Pts: Donald Williams 36 John Best 30
Series tied, 2–2

Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

Game 5

VTV

December 4

Formula Shell 81, Mobiline Phone Pals 88
Scoring by quarter: 22–18, 14–25, 22–20, 23–25
Pts: John Best 32		Pts: Silas Mills 33
Mobiline leads series, 3–2

Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

Glenn Capacio came up with a clutch basket in the final 30 seconds after Shell threatened at 81–82 with 2:01 left on back-to-back triples by Donald Williams. Earlier, five straight free throws by Mills and Tee McClary gave the Mobiline Phone Pals an 82–75 lead.

Game 6

VTV

December 6

Formula Shell 80, Mobiline Phone Pals 77

Series tied, 3–3

Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

Game 7

VTV

December 9

Formula Shell 93, Mobiline Phone Pals 91
Scoring by quarter: 22–17, 21–23, 25–30, 25–21
Pts: John Best 31		Pts: Silas Mills 29
Formula Shell wins series, 4–3

Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

Benjie Paras fired 12 of his 18 points in the final quarter as he had all the Zoom Masters' output in an 8–3 run which gave Shell the lead, 90–89, time down to 1:33, Gerry Esplana's fadeaway jumper with 27 ticks left put them in front by three, 92–89. Mobiline had a chance to win it all at the buzzer but Patrick Fran missed a potential game-winning three-point shot with a second left after failing to give the ball to Silas Mills. Shell survived a Mobiline' all-time finals record of 14 three-point shots made, John Best led the Zoom Masters with 31 points, Silas Mills went 6-of-8 from the three-point area to finish with 29 points for the Phone Pals. Benjie Paras on his first Finals MVP and Formula Shell captures on his championship third title.

1998 PBA Governors Cup Champions
Formula Shell Super Unleaded Third title

Rosters

Formula Shell roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age F 3 Jackson, Chris 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) San Bernardino Valley G 4 Castillo, Noy 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) The Citadel F 8 Lim, Jojo 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Visayas F 9 Mendoza, Jay 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Mapúa G 10 Ticzon, Richie 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Ateneo G 12 Marzan, Porferio 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Baguio C 14 Paras, Benjie 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Philippines F 19 Dualan, Joel 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Manila F 21 Williams, Donald (I) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) North Carolina F/C 25 Best, John (I) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Tennessee Tech G 30 Esplana, Gerry 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Far Eastern G 31 Santos, Rommel 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Staten Island F/C 32 Escobar, Jolly 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) UE F 33 Pablo, Victor 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Far Eastern	Head coach Perry Ronquillo Assistant coach(es) Joey Guanio Legend (C) Team captain (I) Import Injured

Mobiline Phone Pals roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age F 1 Mills, Silas (I) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Utah State G 3 Espinosa, Antonio 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) De La Salle G 8 Solis, Al 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Visayas G/F 9 Francisco, Jose 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Far Eastern F 10 Teng, Alvin 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Arellano G/F 12 Capacio, Glenn 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Far Eastern F 14 Reyes, Eric 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Ateneo G 17 Fran, Patrick 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) UST G/F 24 Castelo, Merwin 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) San Beda F 25 McClary, Artemus (I) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Jacksonville F 33 Martin, Joselito 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) NCBA F/C 81 Cui, Gabby 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Ateneo	Head coach Eric Altamirano Assistant coach(es) Frankie Lim Ryan Gregorio Legend (C) Team captain (I) Import Injured

Broadcast notes

Game	Play-by-play	Analyst	Courtside Reporters
Game 1	Ed Picson	Andy Jao	Ina Raymundo, Anthony Suntay and Ria Tanjuatco
Game 2	Noli Eala	Quinito Henson	Ria Tanjuatco
Game 3	Ed Picson	Andy Jao	Ronnie Nathanielsz, Jannelle So and Ria Tanjuatco
Game 4	Noli Eala	Quinito Henson	None
Game 5	Ed Picson	Andy Jao	Ria Tanjuatco
Game 6	Mon Liboro	Yeng Guiao	Paolo Trillo and Seppie Cristobal
Game 7	Noli Eala	Yeng Guiao	Randy Sacdalan, Paolo Trillo, Seppie Cristobal and Barry Pascua

External links

• PBA official website