1998 San Miguel Beermen season

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The 1998 San Miguel Beermen season was the 24th season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Transactions

• Traded their first round draft pick, Tito "Noy" Castillo, selected 2nd overall, to the number 1 overall pick, center Danny Ildefonso of National University, originally pick by Formula Shell.
• Traded "Mr.Excitement" Paul Alvarez to sister team, Gordon's Gin for Fil-am Steven Smith, the Boars' first round pick in the rookie draft.

Key Dates

• February 1: Opening of the PBA's 24th.season, San Miguel Beer defeated Pop Cola, 86-67 in the lone game.
• April 14: San Miguel Beer clinch win number 14 in 20 games and booked the first finals berth of the Centennial All-Filipino Cup, with an 89-69 victory over Pop Cola, the beermen reach the finals for the first time under coach Ron Jacobs.

Season Recap

• The San Miguel Beermen played in the championship during the first two conferences of the 1998 season opposite Alaska Milk, the beermen, which placed second to the milkmen in the elimination round standings of the All-Filipino Cup, clinch the finals seat first, In a battle between two American coaches, Ron Jacobs and Alaska head coach Tim Cone, the finals went to a deciding seventh game, San Miguel blew a 3-2 series advantage, lost Game 6 by a rout and the final game, 63-72 at the jampacked Araneta Coliseum on May 8.
• Last year's Commissioner's Cup best import, Jeff Ward was back with the beermen, but couldnt lead San Miguel to early victories, was replaced by another comebacking San Miguel import Lamont Strothers, San Miguel earned their second trip to the finals and a rematch with All-Filipino Cup champion Alaska Milk, by scoring a 3-0 sweep over Pop Cola in the best-of-five semifinal series, the beermen lost in 6 games to Alaska in the championship series.
• Strothers teamed up with Larry Robinson for the Centennial and Governor's Cup tournament, In the team's bid to make it to the finals for the third time in the season, San Miguel lost to Shell, 83-87 in a double-playoff game to determined the two finalists, the beermen settled for fourth, losing to Purefoods in their own best-of-three series.

Roster

Pos. No. Player School G 17 Olsen Racela Ateneo de Manila G 8 Allan Caidic UE F 34 William Antonio Chaminade University G 7 Mike Mustre Letran F 11 Nelson Asaytono University of Manila F 12 Yves Dignadice De La Salle C 10 Danny Ildefonso NU F 18 Arthur Dela Cruz San Sebastian F 14 Yoyoy Villamin FEU F Joey Santamaria De La Salle G Siot Tanquincen UST F 25 Freddie Abuda University of Visayas F 21 Jeff Ward G 42 Lamont Strothers Christoper Newport G 20 Larry Robinson Centenary Position Name/s Head coach:  Ron Jacobs '

References