1998–99 Philippine Basketball League season

The 1998–99 season of the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

1998–99 PBL season
DurationApril 18, 1998 – January 21, 1999
Number of teams7
TV partner(s)Silverstar Sports (PTV)
Season MVPEric Menk
Eric Menk
1st Centennial Cup championsTanduay Centennial Rhum Masters
  1st Centennial Cup runners-upBatang Red Bull Energy Kings
2nd Centennial Cup championsDr.J Rubbing Alcohol
  2nd Centennial Cup runners-upTanduay Gold Rhum Masters

TV coverage

PTV 4, in partnership with Silverstar Sports as the line producer, covered the PBL games.

1998 (1st) Centennial Cup

Participating teams (coach)

Finals series
July 6
Tanduay Centennial Rhum 71, Batang Red Bull 65
Tanduay wins series, 3-0

Tanduay scored a 3–0 sweep over Red Bull in the 1st Yakult-PBL Centennial Cup finals. The Rhum Masters clinch the title with a 71-65 victory in Game three.[1]

1998-99 (2nd) Centennial Cup

Participating teams (coach)

Finals series
January 11
Dr.J-ANA 62, Tanduay Gold Rhum 61
January 14
Dr.J-ANA 75, Tanduay Gold Rhum 66
January 16
Dr.J-ANA 56, Tanduay Gold Rhum 77
January 18
Dr.J-ANA 57, Tanduay Gold Rhum 62
January 21
Dr.J-ANA 62, Tanduay Gold Rhum 59
Dr.J-ANA wins series, 3-2

Tanduay Rhum Masters strung up 18 straight victories (18-0) in the 2nd Yakult-PBL Centennial Cup, before newcomer Blu Detergents halted their winning run. Tanduay wound up with a 19–1 win–loss record going into the finals.

Dr.J/ANA Water Dispenser won their first-ever PBL crown with a 3-2 series win over Tanduay and denied the Rhum Masters on what could have been a grand exit for the multi-titled ballclub as the Lucio Tan franchise leaped to the pro ranks.[2]

All-Star game

A PBL All-Star game was held in December 1998, Tanduay's Eric Menk leads the PBL-UAAP selection while Asi Taulava of Blu Detergent beef up the PBL-NCAA Hapee selection. The North vs South All-Star game had Yakult-South being coach by Leo Austria while the North All-Stars was handled by Gabby Velasco.

Women's Philippine Basketball League (WPBL)

PBL Commissioner Yeng Guiao came up with the formation of the first-ever women's league in the PBL in mid-October to spice up the 2nd conference, among the teams which participated in the Women's Philippine Basketball League are Dr J/Ana Dispenser, Dreyers Ice Cream, Welcoat Paints, Ever Bilena, Tanduay, Chowking and Paralux/Ironcon. Notable WPBL cagebelles were former RP team members Mitchell Jimenez (Paralux), Ana Marie Tinasas (Dreyers), Joanna Franquelli (Ana Dispenser), Mary Ellen Caasi and Cherry Maralit (Welcoat), and four-time SEA games campaigner and silver medal winning-RP team in the Chiang Mai games, Julie Amos of Ever Bilena.

On December 28, 1998, Ever Bilena won the first Birch Tree-Women's PBL crown with a nail-biting 52-51 victory over Chowking at the Makati Coliseum.[3]

References
  1. "Tanduay bags Centennial Cup". Philippine Headline News Online.
  2. "A first for Dr.J".
  3. "Ever Bilena bags first WPBL crown". Philippine Headline News Online.
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