The PBA Reinforced Conference was a tournament held during a Philippine Basketball Association season from 1985-1989, and again in 2003. The tournament usually allows team to hire one or two imports, although the 2003 edition rules that teams sign foreign players with a height-limit of 6-4 below.
Contents |
The first edition of the tournament began in the 1985 PBA season with guest team, the famed Northern Consolidated RP national squad winning over Manila Beer, via a four-game sweep.
A year later, Tanduay defeated Great Taste to win the title. But, from 1987-1989, San Miguel Beer dominated the tournament. In 1987, they defeated the Hills Bros Coffee Kings in five games. A season later, the Beermen beat Shell, 4-1, and in 1989, they beat arch-rival Anejo Rhum, to complete the 1989 grand slam.
The tournament took a hiatus for the next 14-years, before new commissioner Noli Eala, revived the conference in 2003. The tournament allowed teams to take an import, with a maximum height limit of 6-4 below. The Coca-Cola Tigers, defeated sister team, and defending champion San Miguel Beermen (technically defending the titles won from 1987-1989) in seven games.
In 2004, the league scrapped the said name, replacing it with the PBA Fiesta Conference.