Reliving the Epic 1997 PBA Finals: A Complete Game-by-Game Breakdown
I still remember the electricity in the air during that legendary 1997 PBA Finals like it was yesterday. As someone who's spent decades analyzing basketball strategy, I can confidently say this championship series between Gordon's Gin and Alaska Milk remains the gold standard for Philippine basketball drama. What made it particularly fascinating was how both teams seemed to anticipate the three-point revolution that would later dominate global basketball - something that reminds me of Tim Cone's recent comments about teams shooting "very well from the 3" being a strategic challenge that needs solving.
The series opener on October 5th set the tone for what would become an absolute classic. Gordon's Gin came out swinging with a 76-70 victory, but the numbers tell only part of the story. What impressed me most was how Alaska's defense held Gordon's Gin to just 38% shooting from the field, yet they still found a way to win. I've always believed that championship teams find different paths to victory, and this game proved it. The Gin Boys won this one through pure grit and offensive rebounding, grabbing 18 offensive boards compared to Alaska's 9. Watching Marlou Aquino dominate inside with 18 points and 11 rebounds reminded everyone why he was such a special talent. But what really stood out to me was Alaska's three-point shooting - they hit 6 of 18 attempts, which was quite impressive for that era. It brings to mind how teams today, much like Cone observed, can completely change a game's dynamics with hot shooting from beyond the arc.
Game 2 shifted momentum dramatically as Alaska evened the series with a convincing 75-65 win. This was where Johnny Abarrientos truly showcased why he was called "The Flying A." His stat line of 16 points, 8 assists, and 4 steals doesn't fully capture how he controlled the game's tempo. Having studied countless point guards throughout my career, I'd rank Abarrientos's performance among the top ten defensive displays I've ever witnessed in PBA history. Alaska's defense was simply suffocating, forcing Gordon's Gin into 22 turnovers. The Gin Boys shot a miserable 3 for 15 from three-point range, which reminds me of Cone's point about needing to solve three-point defense - when your opponent's shooting goes cold, you have to capitalize, and Alaska certainly did.
The third game delivered what I consider one of the most thrilling finishes in PBA Finals history. Gordon's Gin escaped with an 81-80 victory thanks to some last-second heroics that still give me chills thinking about them. With seconds remaining and Alaska up by one, Vergel Meneses drove hard to the basket and drew a foul with just 1.2 seconds left. He sank both free throws under incredible pressure. What many forget is that Alaska actually had a chance to win it with a desperation heave that rattled in and out. The shooting percentages tell an interesting story here - Gordon's Gin shot 45% from the field while Alaska managed just 40%, but Alaska again outshot them from three-point land, making 7 of 19 attempts compared to Gordon's 4 of 13. This three-point disparity throughout the series really highlights how basketball was evolving even then, much like the international games Cone referenced where teams shooting well from deep become particularly dangerous.
Game 4 saw Alaska responding with a 77-71 victory that showcased their resilience. This was the game where Jojo Lastimosa took over, scoring 24 points with what I remember as incredibly efficient shooting. Having rewatched this game multiple times for analysis, I'm still amazed at how Alaska adjusted their defensive schemes to limit Gordon's Gin's interior scoring. They held Aquino to just 10 points, a significant drop from his Game 1 performance. The rebounding battle was virtually even, but Alaska's ability to convert Gordon's Gin's 18 turnovers into 20 points demonstrated championship-level execution. What stood out to me statistically was Alaska's three-point shooting again - they hit 8 of 21 attempts, which at 38% was outstanding for that era. It makes me wonder if Cone's observations about modern three-point shooting were already becoming relevant back in '97, just waiting for coaches to fully recognize the trend.
The championship-clinching Game 5 on October 16th delivered one of the most memorable performances I've witnessed in my decades covering basketball. Gordon's Gin captured the title with a 83-78 victory in what became an instant classic. Meneses was absolutely spectacular, pouring in 29 points on 11-of-19 shooting. But the unsung hero was undoubtedly Bal David, whose defensive pressure on Abarrientos in the fourth quarter completely changed the game's momentum. With about three minutes left and Alaska threatening, David stole the ball from Abarrientos and converted a layup that essentially sealed the championship. The final shooting numbers reveal an interesting pattern - Gordon's Gin shot 46% from the field while Alaska shot 41%, but Alaska again won the three-point battle, making 9 of 22 attempts compared to Gordon's 4 of 14. This consistent three-point shooting throughout the series, much like Cone's comments about teams that "shot very well from the 3," demonstrates how perimeter shooting was becoming increasingly crucial even then.
Looking back at this epic series through today's analytical lens, I'm struck by how it foreshadowed basketball's evolution toward three-point emphasis. Alaska actually outshot Gordon's Gin from beyond the arc throughout the series, making 35 three-pointers at approximately 37% accuracy compared to Gordon's 21 at around 29%. Yet Gordon's Gin won the championship through interior dominance and clutch defensive plays. This tension between interior and perimeter effectiveness continues to define championship basketball today, exactly as Cone noted when discussing the challenge of defending teams that shoot well from three. The 1997 Finals weren't just a battle between two teams - they represented competing basketball philosophies that would evolve over the coming decades. Having analyzed hundreds of series since, I still consider this one the most strategically fascinating in PBA history, a perfect case study in how teams adapt, adjust, and ultimately triumph through understanding both their strengths and their opponents' vulnerabilities.