1997 Alaska Milkmen season

The 1997 Alaska Milkmen season was the 12th season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Off-season transactions

Summary

Last season's Grandslam champions Alaska Milkmen opened their quest for another title-run by defeating a brand-new Mobiline Cellulars, 100-91, which had a new coach in Norman Black and 6-9 Fil-American rookie Andrew John Seigle, the number 1 overall pick, in the lone game of the PBA 23rd season opening on February 16. ^[1] The Milkmen struggled early with their new acquisitions still adjusting to the team. In their last game in the eliminations on April 15, Alaska beat Pop Cola, 93-85, for their 6th win against 8 losses, the Milkmen missed a chance to forge a playoff with Mobiline, which pick up the fifth semifinals berth with a victory over league-leading Gordon's Gin in the second game, thus ending Alaska's streak of eight consecutive finals appearance.

Former Añejo import Sylvester Gray, who last played in the PBA in 1990, came back to play for Alaska in the Commissioner's Cup. The Milkmen were the last team to enter the semifinals with 5 wins and 5 losses. Gray decided to play elsewhere starting the semifinal round and was replaced by another returning import Kevin Holland, who played for Pepsi Mega three years ago. Alaska won six of their eight matches in the semifinals and overcame San Miguel's plus 12 quotient in an 87-71 victory over the Beermen on August 17 to automatically clinch the first finals berth with their 11th win in 18 outings, ^[2] leaving sister teams Gordon's Gin and San Miguel Beer to dispute the second finals seat. The Boars prevailed over the Beermen in two overtimes and went on to beat the Alaska Milkmen in the championship series, 4 games to 2.

Sean Chambers is on his ninth year with Alaska as they defend the only crown left from last season. On October 27, pre-season acquisitions Dwight Lago and Boyet Fernandez were traded to Pop Cola for Kenneth Duremdes and Edgar Tanuan. ^[3] Duremdes' entry gave the Milkmen an additional firepower which they missed at the start of the season following Jeffrey Cariaso's departure to Mobiline. The Milkmen advances into the semifinals outright with a 9-win, 5-loss slate, they scored a 3-0 sweep over Sta.Lucia Realtors in the best-of-five semifinal series. Alaska won the Governor's Cup title for the fourth straight time, winning against All-Filipino Cup champion Purefoods Carne Norte Beefies, 4 games to 1, for their seventh league crown.

Roster

Pos. No. Player School G 6 Jojo Lastimosa San Jose-Recoletos G 7 Roehl Gomez Cebu Central Colleges F 9 Rodney Santos San Sebastian C 12 Richard Bachmann De La Salle G 14 Johnny Abarrientos FEU F 16 Rene Hawkins Perpetual Help College of Rizal F 17 Kevin Ramas Mapua Tech F 19 Kenneth Duremdes (A) Adamson University C 29 Michael Otto FEU C 32 Edward Juinio UP-Diliman C 41 Edgar Tanuan (A) FEU G 44 Merwin Castelo San Beda C 51 Bryant Punzalan FEU F 23 Sylvester Gray (C) Memphis State University F 5 Kevin Holland (C) DePaul University G 20 Sean Chambers (G) California Polytechnic State University G 10 Boyet Fernandez (T) Colegio de San Agustin F 2/15 Dwight Lago (T) De La Salle Position Name/s Head coach:  Tim Cone Assistants: Joel Banal / Aric Del Rosario (T) - Traded, (A) - Acquired via trade, (C) - Commissioner's Cup Import, (G) - Governor's Cup Import '

References