1996 PBA Governors' Cup finals

The 1996 PBA Governors Cup finals was the best-of-7 basketball championship series of the 1996 PBA Governors Cup, and the conclusion of the conference's playoffs. The Alaska Milkmen and Ginebra San Miguel played for the 65th championship contested by the league.

1996 PBA Governors Cup finals
TeamCoachWins
Alaska Milkmen Tim Cone 4
Ginebra San Miguel Robert Jaworski 1
DatesDecember 8–17, 1996
MVPJohnny Abarrientos
TelevisionVintage Sports (IBC)
Radio networkDZRH
PBA Governors Cup finals chronology
1995
1997 >
PBA finals chronology

The Alaska Milkmen captured the coveted grandslam, winning their finals series over Ginebra San Miguel, 4 games to 1.

Johnny Abarrientos won on his first PBA finals MVP in Governors Cup finals.

Qualification edit

Alaska Ginebra
Finished 8–3 (.727), 1st Eliminations Finished 7–4 (.636), 2nd
Qualified outright Quarterfinals Qualified outright
defeated Formula Shell, 3–0 Best-of-5 semifinals defeated San Miguel, 3–1

Series scoring summary edit

Team Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Game 4 Game 5 Wins
Alaska 90 110 95 96 91 4
Ginebra 79 105 82 97 83 1
Venue Cuneta Cuneta Araneta Cuneta Cuneta

Games summary edit

Game 1 edit

December 8
Alaska Milkmen 90, Ginebra San Miguel 79
Alaska leads series, 1–0

The Ginebras fumbled despite taking small leads in the first three quarters, the Gins had 27 turnovers compared to the Milkmen's 15, those turnovers keyed Alaska's fourth quarter run that limited Ginebra to a low output.

Game 2 edit

December 10
Alaska Milkmen 110, Ginebra San Miguel 105
Alaska leads series, 2–0

The Milkmen led 104–91 with 3:40 to go, the Gins tried to rally with Fred Cofield hitting a triple to spark a 12–2 run and pulled Ginebra up close, 103–106, time down to 45.6 seconds.[1]

Game 3 edit

December 13
Alaska Milkmen 95, Ginebra San Miguel 82
Alaska leads series, 3–0

Alaska broke the game wide open with an 82–66 lead in the final quarter. Ginebra shot a dismal 33 percent from the floor.[2]

Game 4 edit

December 15
Alaska Milkmen 96, Ginebra San Miguel 97
Alaska leads series, 3–1

New Ginebra import Derrick Rucker banked in the marginal basket with 29.7 seconds to go, after Jojo Lastimosa's short jumper drew Alaska to within 97–96, with 14.2 seconds left, Rucker's inbound pass was intercepted by Poch Juinio but the Milkmen failed to get a shot on time.[3]

Game 5 edit

December 17
Alaska Milkmen 91, Ginebra San Miguel 83
Pts: Jojo Lastimosa 22, Sean Chambers 21 Pts: Derek Rucker 34
Alaska wins series, 4–1

Johnny Abarrientos engineered a searing 11–0 blast from a 62–69 deficit to a 73–69 lead for Alaska at the end of the third quarter. Abarrientos' jumper gave the Milkmen an 89–82 lead going into the last two minutes of the final period Then Johnny Abarrientos on his first Finals MVP and Alaska captures on his 3 peat grand slam champion 6th title.[4]

1996 PBA Governors Cup Champions

Alaska Milkmen
Sixth title

Rosters edit

Alaska Milkmen roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt.
G/F 4   Castelo, Merwin 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) San Beda
G 5   Reyes, Gilbert 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Ateneo
G/F 6   Lastimosa, Jojo 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) USJ–R
G 7   Gomez, Roehl 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Cebu
C 12   Bachmann, Dickie 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) De La Salle
G 14   Abarrientos, Johnny 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Far Eastern
F 16   Hawkins, Bong 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) UPHSD
C 17   Ramas, Kevin 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Mapúa
F 20   Chambers, Sean (I) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Cal Poly
G/F 22   Cariaso, Jeffrey 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Sonoma State
C 24   Bolado, Cris 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) National-U
F/C 31   Pineda, Giovanni 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Adamson
C 32   Juinio, Poch 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Philippines
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (I) Import
  •   Injured


Ginebra San Miguel roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt.
G 1   David, Bal 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) UST
G 3   Rucker, Derek (I) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Davidson
F 6   Locsin, Noli 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) De La Salle
G 7   Jaworski, Robert 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) UE
F 9   De Joya, Macky 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) San Beda
G/F 11   Gayoso, Jayvee 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Ateneo
G 12   Hizon, Vince 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Ateneo
C 13   Aquino, Marlou 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) Adamson
G 15   Orquillas, Michael 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Cebu
F 16   Cheng, Benny 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Mapúa
F/C 18   Ong, Wilmer 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) USLS
G 25   Jarencio, Pido 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) UST
G 33   Cofield, Fred (I) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Eastern Michigan
C 34   Feihl, EJ 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) Adamson
G 52   Jaworski, Jr., Robert 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Ateneo
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (I) Import
  •   Injured

Broadcast notes edit

Game Play-by-play Analyst
Game 1 Noli Eala Andy Jao
Game 2 Ed Picson Quinito Henson
Game 3 Chino Trinidad Yeng Guiao
Game 4 Noli Eala Andy Jao
Game 5 Ed Picson Quinito Henson

References edit

  1. ^ "Alaska now 2 wins shy of Grandslam". Manila Standard.
  2. ^ "Grandslam beckons Alaska". Manila Standard.
  3. ^ "Ginebra holds off Alaska". Manila Standard.
  4. ^ "Amazing Alaska completes Grand Slam". Manila Standard.

External links edit