Reminiscing the 2000 PBA Season

Reminiscing the 26th Season of the PBA.

First Conference Lineups:

FORMULA SHELL (Coach: Perry Ronquillo, Asst.Coach: Joey Guanio)
Chris Jackson
Brix Encarnacion
Jose Ma.Mendoza
Erwin Luna
Jun Marzan
Mark Telan
Benjie Paras
Joel Dualan
Rommel Santos
Gerald Esplana
Arthur del Rosario
Anthony de la Cruz

SAN MIGUEL BEER (Coach: Jong Uichico, Asst.Coach: Siot Tanquingcen)
Emmanuel Victoria
Nic Belasco
Ronilo Padilla
Mike Mustre
Danny Ildefonso
Dwight Lago
Olsen Racela
Art de la Cruz
Freddie Abuda
Rob Duat
Danny Seigle
Ronaldo Carmona

STA.LUCIA REALTY (Coach: Norman Black, Assts: Franz Pumaren, Adonis Tierra)
Christoper Tan
Gerardo Santiago
Ronnie Magsanoc
Richard Del Rosario
Paolo Mendoza
Marlou Aquino
Gerard Francisco
Expedito Falcasantos
Dennis Espino
Mike Orquillas
Benny Cheng
Rob Wainwright

POP COLA (Coach: Chot Reyes, Assts: Binky Favis, Biboy Ravanes)
Ali Peek
Wynne Arboleda
Rodesendo Gomez
Noli Locsin
Jon Ordonio
Nelson Asaytono
Marc Steven Victoria
Henry Fernandez
Jojo Lastimosa
William Antonio
Zaldy Realubit

BRGY.GINEBRA (Coach: Allan Caidic, Asst.Coach: Cris Calilan)
Bal David
Vergel Meneses
Elmer Lago
Merwin Castelo
Zandro Limpot
Yves Dignadice
Aramis Calpito
Edward Naron
Wilmer Ong
Teodoro Valera
Alex Crisano
Ronald Magtulis
Jolly Escobar*
Danilo Aying*

*injured list

(Continuation) First Conference Lineups:

TANDUAY RHUM (Coach: Alfrancis Chua, Asst.Coach: Angelito Esguerra)
Jason Webb
Renato Alforque
Bobby Jose
Jeffrey Cariaso
Sonny Alvarado
Roderick Bughao
Jorge Gallent
Jayvee Gayoso
Alfredo Jarencio
Eric Menk
Rudy Hatfield
Chris Cantonjos
Dondon Hontiveros

ALASKA (Coach: Tim Cone, Assts: Richard Bachmann, Jun Reyes)
Glenn Peter Yap
Don Allado
Rodney Santos
Johnny Abarrientos
Bong Hawkins
Kevin Ramas
Kenneth Duremdes
Bryan Gahol
James Walkvist
Edward Juinio
Joey Loyzaga

MOBILINE (Coach: Eric Altamirano, Assts: Frankie Lim, Ryan Gregorio)
Gido Babilonia
Al Solis
Gherome Ejercito
Jose Francisco
Eric Reyes
Patrick Fran
Don Camaso
Joselo Angeles
Victor Pablo
Jerry Codinera
Paul Asi Taulava

PUREFOODS (Coach: Frederick Pumaren, Assts: Gee Abanilla, Agustin Tiongco)
Richard Yee
Braulio Lim
Jessie Cabanayan
Boyet Fernandez
Rey Evangelista
Dindo Pumaren
EJ Feihl
Alvin Patrimonio
Rommel Daep
Noy Castillo
Andy Seigle

RED BULL (Coach: Yeng Guiao, Asst.Coach: Rhoel Nadurata)
Jimwell Torion
Renato Agustin
Junthy Valenzuela
Joseph Gumatay
Glen Capacio
Bernard Tanpua
Lordy Tugade
Ruel Buenaventura
Edmund Reyes
Kerby Raymundo *suspended for 1 yr after a couple of games
Cris Bolado
Mick Pennissi *later signed as their direct-hire Fil-Am

It's ALASKA vs PUREFOODS in the All-Pinoy Cup Finals.

One victory on the hardcourt was all it took for Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs to arrange a best-of-seven championship showdown with Alaska Milk. And the Hotdogs pounced on the opportunity given to them as they nipped Tanduay Rhum, 72-71, Wednesday night in order to march into the finals against the Milkmen.
Boyet Fernandez came off the bench with 15 seconds remaining in the extra period and knocked in his team's last five points including a triple that broke the hearts of the hard-fighting Tanduay Rhummasters.
With specific instructions to take a triple, Fernandez heaved a shot from deep left after receiving the inbound. However, the convertion was ruled two-pointer as he was caught stepping on the line. Fernandez quickly gave up a foul on Rudy Hatfield who split his free throws giving Tanduay Rhum a slim 71-69 edge. With no timeouts remaining, Dindo Pumaren raced down court and got trapped in the shaded area, However, Pumaren spotted Fernandez beyond the three point arc and rifled a pass. Without hesitation, Fernandez banged in a triple with two-tenths of a second to go lifting the Hotdogs past the Rhummasters and into the finals.
Sharing the spotlight with Fernandez was Noy Castillo, who sent the game into overtime with a winner at the close of regulation play, 61-all. The Castillo jumper became possible after he had freed himself from a tight defense of Jason Webb who run smack into a pick set by Alvin Patrimonio.
In Overtime, Tanduay had gone up three points, 70-67, with Eric Menk stringing up in four points and Jeffrey Cariaso banging in a triple. But it certainly looked like levelling the series at two-all was not meant to be for the Rhummasters.
Tanduay Rhum agreed to withdraw the temporary restraining order it had obtained from the Makati Regional Trial Court which has caused postponement of Game Four of their best-of-five semis against Purefoods. Game 4 was supposed to have been played last Friday, Subsequently, the PBA also did not hold a game last Sunday.
Tanduay Rhum had won Game One without controversial Earl Sonny Alvarado, 91-79, with Menk tallying 44 points and 17 rebounds. The Rhummasters had fielded Alvarado who was ordered deported by the Immigration Bureau, in Games two and three. Alvarado has left the country last Wednesday.

2000 PBA Commissioners Cup

June 23
Opening of the 2nd Conference, with the PBA ruling allowing Fil-foreigners to play provided that their teams will be penalized P500,000 per player per game if they fail to produced the certificates of confirmation from the DOJ by the end of July, a number of teams opted to bench their fil-foreigners.

Phone Pals' import Carlos Strong dished off impressive performance to put together 36 points, 13 rebounds and an assist, with three blocked shots as Mobiline stamped its class on Sunkist Orange Juice (formerly Pop Cola), 85-76. Carl Thomas of Sunkist only had 13 points but added 17 rebounds.
San Miguel Beer did not utilize the services of Danny Seigle, Nic Belasco and Rob Duat but nevertheless went on to beat Barangay Ginebra, 93-81. SMB import Stephen Howard had 26 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Ginebra paraded a 'great white hope' in Ryan Fletcher, who was exposed as a great white hoax instead as he vomitted with more than a minute remaining in the contest. Fletcher finished with 13 points, 23 rebounds, three assists, a steal and a blocked shot.

June 25
Batang Red Bull post a convincing 96-81 victory over All-Filipino Cup runner-up Purefoods TJ Hotdogs. Julius Nwosu, a returnee for Purefoods, was not as impressive as last year, and so is the debut of Red Bull's Thaddeus Delaney. Sta.Lucia's Ansu Sesay wowed the crowd with three thundering slam dunks as the Realtors defeated Shell Velocity, 94-83. Sesay finished with 29 points and 11 rebounds.

June 28
San Miguel rout Sunkist, 82-72, as Stephen Howard again did most of the game, improving his initial performance with 34 points, 19 rebounds and three assists. In Wednesday's main game, Tanduay humbled reigning All-Filipino Champion Alaska Milk, 84-74. Tanduay led by as many as 26 points, Ira Clark submitted 21 points and 13 rebounds, Rudy Hatfield was good for 16 points and Eric Menk finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Alaska's Marcus Liberty, who played three games for Pop Cola back in 1998, had 21 points and 13 rebounds, went eight-of 20 from the field (40 percent)