PBA Fiesta Conference
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The PBA Fiesta Conference is a tournament held during a Philippine Basketball Association season. Each PBA team is allowed to hire a single foreign player, with maximum height limitations set by the league, to play for the said tournament.
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[edit] History
Prior to the formation of the said conference, the league had two import-laced conferences known as the PBA Commissioner's Cup (with an import height-limit of 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)), and the PBA Governor's Cup (with an import height-limit of 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)). However, in 2003, the two conferences were scrapped and was replaced with an Invitational tournament, with an All-Filipino local squad along with foreign teams) and an import-laced Reinforced Conference.
But, in 2004, the league changed its calendar from a calendar year to a fiscal year. As a preparation for the new format, the tournament was institutionalized in 2004 as a transitional tournament. The first Fiesta Conference was played from February-July 2004, which was won by the Barangay Ginebra Kings.
In 2005, the league billed the Reinforced Conference as the Fiesta Conference, with a new rule of allowing teams to allow imports with unlimited height limit. The San Miguel Beermen defeated the Talk N' Text Phone Pals to win the title.
A season later, the league moved the Fiesta Conference during its initial conference, this time the height limit rule on imports were reinstated, this time at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m). Red Bull Barako won the third edition of the Fiesta Cup, defeating the Purefoods Chunkee Giants in six games.
For the 2006-07 PBA season, the league is moved the Fiesta Conference to March, while putting the Philippine Cup as its opening tournament (October) for the said season.
On the upcoming 2008 conference, all teams will be allowed to field in imports without height restrictions with the two worst teams on the previous conference having another import but with a 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) height restriction.[1]
[edit] Fiesta Conference Finals results
| Season | Winning team | Losing team | Series | Finals MVP | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (2004) | Barangay Ginebra | Red Bull | 3-1 | Eric Menk | Details |
| 2004-05 | San Miguel | Talk 'N Text | 4-1 | Danny Ildefonso | Details |
| 2005-06 | Red Bull | Purefoods | 4-2 | Lordy Tugade | Details |
| 2006-07 | Alaska | Talk 'N Text | 4-3 | Willie Miller | Details |
[edit] Individual awards
| Season | Best player (Team) | Best import (Team) |
|---|---|---|
| (2004) | Eric Menk (Ginebra) |  Victor Thomas (Red Bull) |
| 2004-05 | Willie Miller (Talk N' Text) | Jerald Honeycutt (Talk N' Text) |
| 2005-06 | Enrico Villanueva (Red Bull) | Marquin Chandler (Purefoods) |
| 2006-07 | Mark Cardona (Talk N' Text) | Rosell Ellis (Alaska) |
