1996 PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals

1996 PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals

Team Coach Wins Alaska Milkmen Tim Cone 4 Formula Shell Zoom Masters Chito Narvasa 3
Dates	August 27 - September 10, 1996
MVP	Bong Hawkins
Television	Vintage Sports (IBC)
Radio network	DZRH
PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals chronology
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PBA Finals chronology
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The 1996 PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals was the best-of-7 series basketball championship of the 1996 PBA Commissioner's Cup, and the conclusion of the conference's playoffs. The Alaska Milkmen and Formula Shell Zoom Masters played for the 64th championship contested by the league.

The Alaska Milkmen won against the Formula Shell Zoom Masters in a thrilling seven-game series, grabbing their second championship for the season.^[1]

Qualification

Alaska		Formula Shell
Finished 8–2 (.800), 1st	Eliminations		Finished 5–5 (.500), tied for 3rd
Finished 14–4 (.778), 1st	Semifinals		Finished 10–8 (.556), 3rd
	Playoff		Won against Ginebra, 89-86

Series scoring summary

Team	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7	Wins
Alaska	82	93	77	79	70	85	83	4
Shell	85	86	85	76	63	88	77	3
Venue	Cuneta	Araneta	Cuneta	Cuneta	Araneta	Cuneta	Cuneta

Games summary

Game 1

Vintage

August 27 7:30 pm

recap

Alaska Milkmen 82, Formula Shell 85

Shell leads series, 1-0

Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City

Shell trailed by 14 points, 48-62, when Ken Redfield and Jolly Escobar teamed up as the Gas kings pulled even at 70-all at the start of the final period. Benjie Paras' jumper gave Shell a 78-76 lead but Jojo Lastimosa knocked in a booming triple to give the advantage back to Alaska, the lead change hands two more times before Paras and Peter Naron combined for five straight points for an 85-81 cushion going into the final two minutes, Lastimosa converted on a technical free throw to cut the deficit down, the Milkmen had the opportunity when Ken Redfield fouled out with 39.6 remaining, a block by Paras on Jeffrey Cariaso with 30 seconds left signalled the doom for the Milkmen as they bungled on their next offensive play.

Game 2

Vintage

August 30 7:00 pm

recap

Alaska Milkmen 93, Formula Shell 86
Scoring by quarter: 24-23, 26-20, 22-23, 24-20
Pts: Sean Chambers 28 Rebs: Chambers 10 Asts: Abarrientos 7		Pts: Kenny Redfield 18 Rebs: Redfield 11 Asts: Redfield 6
Series tied, 1-1

Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

The Milkmen broke away early in the first half, the Alaska defense held Shell import Ken Redfield to just 18 points, the Gas kings clawed back to within four, 86-90, on two free throws by Redfield. Sean Chambers sealed the win with an alley-oop with 12.2 seconds left.

Game 3

Vintage

September 1 6:00 pm

recap

Alaska Milkmen 77, Formula Shell 85
Scoring by quarter: 22-21, 17-23, 18-20, 20-21
Pts: Sean Chambers 23 Rebs: Chambers 10 Asts: Lastimosa, 3 others, 3		Pts: Kenny Redfield 35 Rebs: Redfield 19 Asts: Paras 4
Shell leads series, 2-1

Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City

Ken Redfield poured in 35 points and hit a crucial three point-shot with 56.1 seconds left, the Milkmen managed to trim down the lead to 77-80 with 2:01 to go, from a 59-70 deficit at the start of the fourth quarter.

Game 4

Vintage

September 3 7:00 pm

recap

Alaska Milkmen 79, Formula Shell 76
Scoring by quarter: 21-16, 24-23, 11-16, 23-21
Pts: Bong Hawkins 24 Rebs: Hawkins 14 Asts: Hawkins 4		Pts: Kenny Redfield, Benjie Paras 18 Rebs: Redfield 17 Asts: Redfield 7
Series tied, 2-2

Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City

The Milkmen appeared on a verge of giving the Zoom Masters a huge 3-1 edge when it trailed 76-72 with just over a minute to go, held Shell the rest of the way with a 7-0 blast. Bong Hawkins ignited that fiery endgame run with a triple, trimming the gap to a hairline, 76-75, after an exchange of miscues, Alaska took the driver's seat as Jojo Lastimosa and Johnny Abarrientos sank two free throws each, Richie Ticzon of Shell missed a potential game-tying three-pointer in the dying seconds, allowing Alaska to escaped with a come-from-behind victory.

Game 5

Vintage

September 6 7:00 pm

recap

Alaska Milkmen 70, Formula Shell 63
Scoring by quarter: 11-17, 16-14, 23-12, 20-20
Pts: Sean Chambers, Bong Hawkins 14 Rebs: Chambers 10 Asts: Abarrientos 5		Pts: Kenny Redfield 24 Rebs: Redfield 14 Asts: Redfield 8
Alaska leads series, 3-2

Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

In the lowest scoring game in PBA finals history, Johnny Abarrientos' jumper with 10.9 seconds left put the game beyond recall at 68-63.

Game 6

Vintage

September 8 6:00 pm

recap

Alaska Milkmen 85, Formula Shell 88
Scoring by quarter: 18-22, 19-20, 23-20, 25-26
Pts: Bong Hawkins 19 Rebs: Chambers 10 Asts: Hawkins 5		Pts: Kenny Redfield 21 Rebs: Redfield 8 Asts: Redfield 10
Series tied, 3-3

Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City

Alaska coach Tim Cone predicted the series will end in Game Six, for a while, the Milkmen looks headed to finish off the Zoom Masters, leading 85-79, but Shell's underrated players thwarted Alaska's bid, Richie Ticzon did an almost impossible shot to snatch the game from Alaska when the Zoom Masters regained the upperhand at 86-85. Ticzon's shot wasn't expected to go, hounded by the defenders and deep down the right side of the court, threw a prayer of a fadeaway jumper that went in, the crowd went into a frenzy as Shell celebrated after that miracle shot.

Game 7

Vintage

September 10 7:00 pm

recap

Alaska Milkmen 83, Formula Shell 77
Scoring by quarter: 12-16, 25-16, 19-21, 27-24
Pts: Sean Chambers 26 Rebs: Juinio 11 Asts: Chambers, Hawkins 4		Pts: Kenny Redfield 33 Rebs: Redfield 16 Asts: Redfield 6
Alaska wins series, 4-3

Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City

Jojo Lastimosa's insurance free throws with 9.6 seconds left settled the issue as the Milkmen took an 81-77 advantage, the Zoom Masters trailed by as much as 10 points at 75-65, entering the closing minutes, but a 10-0 blast anchored by best import Kenny Redfield's five points, locked the count at 75-all with 2:20 remaining, Bong Hawkins and Jojo Lastimosa provided the backbreaking jumpers giving Alaska a 79-75 lead with 1:23 to go.

1996 PBA Commissioner's Cup Champions
Alaska Milkmen Fifth title

Awards

• Finals MVP: Bong Hawkins ^[2] (Alaska)
• Best Player of the Conference: Johnny Abarrientos (Alaska)
• Best Import of the Conference: Kenny Redfield (Shell)

Rosters

Alaska Milkmen roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # POB Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From G/F 4 Castelo, Merwin 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 186 lb (84 kg) San Beda G 5 Reyes, Gilbert 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Ateneo de Manila G/F 6 Lastimosa, Jojo 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) San Jose-Recoletos G 7 Gomez, Roehl 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) University of Cebu F/C 12 Bachmann, Richard 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) La Salle G 14 Abarrientos, Johnny 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) 150 lb (68 kg) FEU F 16 Hawkins, Bong 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 220 lb (100 kg) PHCR C 17 Ramas, Kevin 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Mapua Tech F 20 Chambers, Sean (I) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 195 lb (88 kg) California State G/F 22 Cariaso, Jeffrey 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Sonoma State C 24 Bolado, Cris 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 260 lb (118 kg) NU C 31 Pineda, Giovanni 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Adamson C 32 Juinio, Poch 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) State U	Head coach Tim Cone Assistant coach(es) Joel Banal Aric del Rosario Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended (I) Import Injured

Formula Shell Zoom Masters roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # POB Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From G 00 Santos, Rommel 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Staten Island F/C 3 Redfield, Kenny (I) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Michigan State G 5 Magsanoc, Ronnie  5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 155 lb (70 kg) State U G 6 Guanio, Joey 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) State U F 8 Lim, Jojo 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 186 lb (84 kg) University of Visayas G 10 Ticzon, Richie 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) 150 lb (68 kg) Ateneo de Manila F 11 Naron, Peter 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) University of Visayas G 12 Marzan, Porferio 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) University of Baguio C 14 Paras, Benjie 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) State U F 17 Saldaña, Terry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Letran (Jrs) G/F 20 Lago, Elmer 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 188 lb (85 kg) La Salle F/C 32 Escobar, Jolly 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) UE F 33 Pablo, Victor 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 198 lb (90 kg) FEU	Head coach Chito Narvasa Assistant coach(es) Perry Ronquillo Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended (I) Import Injured

Broadcast notes

Game	Play-by-play	Analyst	Courtside reporters
Game 1	Sev Sarmenta	Andy Jao	Anthony Suntay and Butch Maniego
Game 2	Ed Picson	Quinito Henson	Anthony Suntay and Butch Maniego
Game 3	Noli Eala	Andy Jao	Anthony Suntay and Butch Maniego
Game 4	Sev Sarmenta	Quinito Henson	Anthony Suntay and Butch Maniego
Game 5	Ed Picson	Andy Jao	Anthony Suntay and Butch Maniego
Game 6	Sev Sarmenta	Quinito Henson	Anthony Suntay and Butch Maniego
Game 7	Ed Picson	Andy Jao	Anthony Suntay and Butch Maniego

References

1. Alaska wins PBA crown, Jimbo Gulle, Manila Standard, September 11, 1996
2. Bong Hawkins Finals MVP, Manila Standard, September 12, 1996

External links

• PBA official website