1986 Philippine Amateur Basketball League season

The 1986 PABL season is the fourth season of the Philippine Amateur Basketball League (PABL).

Summary

The Invitational First Conference features commercial ballclubs and collegiate schools divided into two groups, barely a few weeks before the tournament started, teams started knocking on the PABL door as efforts to solicit team sponsorship rose to a fever pitch, the participating teams were down to only four; ESQ Marketing, RFM-Swifts, Mama's Love and newcomer Lhuillier Jewelers of Cebu when the league had a board meeting in early March, last year's challenge to champions titlist Army Jungle Fighters of coach Charlie Badion and another new member Hope Cigarettes, to be handled by Arturo Valenzona, came in as last minute entries. The University of the Philippines Maroons, originally assigned to the second division, had been moved to Division I on the request of coach Joe Lipa and will play under the banner of Converse-Milkland, noteworthy among the players from their respective teams were Avelino "Samboy" Lim, Jojo Lastimosa, Al Solis, Jun Tan, Peter Aguilar, Peter Jao and Jesus Ramirez of Lhuillier, Allan Caidic of ESQ Merchants, Zaldy Realubit and Yves Dignadice of Mama's Love, Renato Agustin, Edgar Tanuan, Adriano Polistico and Jeffrey Graves of Hope, Ronnie Magsanoc, Duane Salvaterra and a 17-year old rookie Benjie Paras of Converse/Milkland.

The two new teams, Lhuillier and Hope Cigarettes played in the best-of-five Division I championship, the Jewelers with assistant coach Alfredo Enriquez, a former PBA backcourt man, calling the shots from regular coach Raul "Yayoy" Alcoseba, who is serving a one-year suspension imposed on him by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) for leading University of San Jose-Recoletos' walkout during the National Students basketball championships last year in Naga City, won the finals series, 3 games to 1.

ESQ Marketing, RFM-Swifts and Mama's Love were the only remaining teams in the PABL Second Conference called Founder's Cup, making a comeback is the Magnolia Ice Cream squad of coach Derrick Pumaren, known as Lagelite Beer last year, with some core of the NCC players, the Country Fair Hotdogs, coach by Larry Mumar, and newcomers Purefoods Corporation, a giant food company joining the basketball scene, handled by former Masagana 99 mentor Domingo Panganiban, and Fuji Soy Sauce.

The Magnolia Ice Cream Makers, with a star-studded lineup led by Allan Caidic, Elmer Reyes and Jerry Codinera, completed a conference sweep, winning all their six games in the elimination round and the four-team semifinals, scored a 3-0 sweep over the Hector Calma-led ESQ Merchants, in the best-of-five finals series for a perfect 12-0.

The Third Conference, known as "Filipino Cup", dedicated to the countless brave souls who took part in the People's Power revolution, opens on October 18 with the usual parade of competing teams with their muses and the giving of plaques of appreciation to members of the 1936 Berlin Olympics, 1951 Asian Games, 1954 World Basketball Championships, Gold medalists in the Seoul Asiad and the RP quintet which took the bronze in the 10th Asian games. The league marked the return of Crispa Redmanizers and Yco to the amateur scene, Crispa combined forces with the Lhuillier quintet while Yco, the most dominant team in the 1960's, decided to build its nucleus from the now-defunct Fuji Soy Sauce squad, and has enlisted such players as Asian gamers Edgar Tanuan, Alvin Patrimonio and Eric Altamirano, other teams with massive player transfers; Jojo Lastimosa and Harmon Codiñera are seeing action for Crispa-Lhuillier, together with Peter Aguilar, Al Solis and new recruit Arthur Dela Cruz, San Sebastian's prized slotman in the NCAA. Magnolia had Allan Caidic, Nelson Asaytono, Jerry Codiñera, Dindo Pumaren, David Zamar and Benjie Gutierrez. Purefoods boasts of Cayetano Salazar of NCAA champion Letran, Salvador Ramos, George Ella and Loreto Manaog. RFM-Swift's are led by former Mama's love stalwart Elmer Cabahug, Anthony Mendoza, Alex Regis and former pro Jerry Pingoy. Nat Canson's Sta.Lucia Realtors, formerly ESQ merchants, had Jojo Villapando, Tony Dela Cerna, Edgar Macaraya, Hernani Demegillo, former pro Lawrence Merced and slippery guard Jerry Gonzales. Newcomer Philips Sardines of national coach Joe Lipa had the UP Maroons tandem of Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc. Guest team Golden Dragon of Taiwan will see action in the semifinals. ^[1]

The YCO Shine Masters, coach by Edgardo Gomez and led by Alvin Patrimonio, won the Filipino Cup title via 3-0 sweep over the Sta.Lucia Realtors. Crispa-Lhuillier takes third place with a 2-1 series win over Magnolia Ice Cream. ^[2]

Finals results

Invitationals (Division I title)

Founder's Cup

Filipino Cup

Notable achievements

The ESQ Merchants, carrying the colors of Pasig Giants, won the Asian Inter-city basketball tournament in Jakarta, Indonesia, lording over commercial squads from Brunei, Singapore, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and host Jakarta, scoring a clean, six-game sweep, and ending the South Korea's four-year dominance in the Asian intercity cagefest by downing the Tigers from Seoul, 104-101, in overtime. Former Arellano stalwart Jojo Martin was later adjudged Most Valuable Player, among the other members of the team were Hernani Demigillo, Bong Ramos, Jerome Cueto, Joel Santos, Tony Dela Cerna and Edgar Macaraya, who took over the offensive chores vacated by Allan Caidic.

References

External links

www.philippinebasketball.ph