1986 Ginebra San Miguel season explained

Pbayear:1986
Team:Ginebra San Miguel (PBA)
Team2:Ginebra San Miguel
Coach:Robert Jaworski
1C-Name:Reinforced Conference
1C-Wins:15
1C-Losses:9
1C-Place:3rd
1C-Playoffs:Semifinals
2C-Name:All Filipino Conference
2C-Wins:10
2C-Losses:9
2C-Place:2nd
2C-Playoffs:Runner-up
No-3C:1
3C-Name:Open Conference
3C-Wins:17
3C-Losses:5
3C-Place:1st
3C-Playoffs:Champions
Owners:La Tondeña Distillers, Inc.
Prevseason:1985
Nextseason:1987

The 1986 Ginebra San Miguel season was the eighth season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Transactions

Players AddedSignedFormer team
Joey LoyzagaOff-seasonMagnolia
Dante Gonzalgo
Dondon Ampalayo RookieN/A
Leo Isaac Rookie free agentJuly 1986N/A
Mukesh Advani Rookie free agent

Trade

Off-seasonTo Great Taste----Steve WatsonTo Ginebra----Chito Loyzaga

1st finals stint under Big J (Rivalry with Tanduay)

On August 21, Ginebra clinched one of the two finals berth in the All-Filipino Conference with a 91-83 win over Shell Helix. This marks the fourth time the La Toñdena ballclub is playing in the championship series and the first since Robert Jaworski became player-coach of the team in 1985. Ginebra San Miguel were going up against Tanduay Rhum Makers in the finals, who were seeking their second straight title.

A bitter rivalry since the Crispa-Toyota days was born during the All-Filipino championship. Former Toyota teammates Ramon Fernandez and Robert Jaworski played on opposite sides in the finals for the first time. Adding color to their rivalry was Tanduay coach Arturo Valenzona, who steered Ginebra (then Gilbey's Gin) to three trips in the finals from 1982 to 1984 - the same coach Jaworski replaced on the Ginebra bench.[1]

After taking the series opener of the best-of-five title series, Ginebra lost three straight to the Rhum Makers, which clinch their second championship of the season with a hairline 93-92 win in Game four.

See main article: 1986 PBA All-Filipino Conference finals.

The super import duo

In the Open (Third) Conference, Billy Ray Bates - known as "The Black Superman" - who led the famed Crispa Redmanizers to a grandslam in 1983, teamed up with last year's Ginebra reinforcement and best import Michael Hackett in an explosive combination that have captured the excitement of PBA fans from the moment it made headlines.[2]

In their highly anticipated first game for Ginebra on September 25 as Bates and Hackett went up against Alaska's Norman Black and Donnie Ray Koonce - similarly comebacking imports - Ginebra won, 122-115. Bates scored 46 points while Hackett had 38.

Championship

After eight years since joining the league in 1979, the La Tondeña ballclub won their first PBA championship by winning the Open Conference crown over Manila Beer, four games to one. On the memorable night of December 11, 1986, Ginebra San Miguel clinched the trophy with a 130-120 victory in Game Five. The Living Legend Robert Jaworski became the first playing coach to steer a team to a PBA title.

See main article: 1986 PBA Open Conference finals.

Occurrences

League pioneer Francis Arnaiz retired from active playing after seeing action only in the first round of eliminations of the Open Conference.

Awards

Won–loss records vs opponents

Team Win Loss 1st (Reinforced) 2nd (All-Filipino) 3rd (Open)
Alaska 10 4 6-4 2-0 2-0
Great Taste 5 6 2-2 1-2 2-2
Magnolia 2 0 N/A N/A 2-0
Manila Beer 11 1 2-0 2-0 7-1
Shell 7 3 3-1 3-1 1-1
Tanduay 7 8 2-2 2-5 3-1
RP-Magnolia 0 1 N/A 0-1 N/A
Total 42 23 15-9 10-9 17-5

Roster

Imports

Tournament Name Height From
1
0
32 University of Detroit Mercy
00
2

Notes and References

  1. News: Mon Fernandez sheds light on origin of feud with Sonny Jaworski. TV5:ESPN.com.
  2. News: PBA's first 100-point man recalls Ginebra glory days. ABS-CBN News.