# 1988 PBA season

The 1988 PBA season was the 14th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

## Board of governors
### Executive committee

* Rodrigo L. Salud (Commissioner)
* Reynaldo Marquez (Chairman, representing Shell Rimula-X Diesel Oilers)
* Jose C. Ibazeta (Vice-Chairman, representing San Miguel Beermen)
* Wilfred Steven Uytengsu (Treasurer, representing Alaska Milkmen)

### Teams

| Team | Company | Governor |
| Alaska Milkmen | General Milling Corporation | Wilfred Steven Uytengsu |
| Añejo Rhum 65ers | La Tondeña Incorporada | Carlos Palanca III |
| Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | Purefoods Corporation | Renato Buhain |
| Presto Ice Cream Makers | Consolidated Foods Corporation | Lance Gokongwei |
| San Miguel Beermen | San Miguel Corporation | Jose Ibazeta |
| Shell Rimula-X Diesel Oilers | Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation | Reynaldo Marquez |

## Season highlights

* The Tanduay Rhum Makers filed a leave on absence for the 1988 season on January 16, 1988, citing realignment of corporate objectives. After Tanduay filed a leave, some remnants were absorbed, along with several amateur prospects by Purefoods Corporation, which joined the league after buying a franchise worth P300,000.
* PBA deputy commissioner Rudy Salud became the league's third commissioner. Under Salud's leadership, the PBA soared to greater heights, the Purefoods Hotdogs' entry, along with the never-say-die attitude of the league's most popular team Añejo Rum 65ers, contributed largely to a box-office success in gate attendance.
* Amateur standout Alvin Patrimonio, who was a subject of a bitter tug-of-war between the PBA's newest team Purefoods Hotdogs and his mother ballclub in the PABL, corporate rival RFM-Swifts, finally made his PBA debut on June 30.
* A blockbuster trade took place before the opening of the Third Conference as veterans Ramon Fernandez of Purefoods, who was bench in the All-Filipino title-series, and Abet Guidaben of San Miguel were traded to each other by their respective ballclubs.
* Ramon Fernandez won his fourth Most Valuable Player trophy as he continued his tradition of winning the prestigious award every two years starting in 1982.

## Opening ceremonies

The muses for the participating teams are as follows:
| Team | Muse |
| Alaska Milkmen | Lydia de Vega |
| Ginebra San Miguel | Monina Tan |
| Great Taste Instant Milk | Alice Dixson |
| Purefoods Hotdogs | Aiza Seguerra & Tweety de Leon |
| San Miguel Beermen | Rowena Moran |
| Shell Helix | |

## Champions

* Open Conference: San Miguel Beermen
* All-Filipino Conference: Añejo Rum 65
* Reinforced Conference: San Miguel Beermen
* Team with best win–loss percentage: San Miguel Beermen (46–26, .639)
* Best Team of the Year: San Miguel Beermen (1st)

## Open Conference
### Elimination round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | San Miguel Beermen | 7 | 3 | .700 | — | Semifinal round |
| 2 | Ginebra San Miguel | 6 | 4 | .600 | 1 | Semifinal round |
| 3 | Purefoods Hotdogs | 6 | 4 | .600 | 1 | Semifinal round |
| 4 | Alaska Milkmen | 6 | 4 | .600 | 1 | Semifinal round |
| 5 | Great Taste Instant Milk | 4 | 6 | .400 | 3 | Semifinal round |
| 6 | Shell Helix Oilers | 1 | 9 | .100 | 6 | |

### Semifinal round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | San Miguel Beermen | 12 | 6 | .667 | — | Advance to the Finals |
| 2 | Purefoods Hotdogs | 12 | 6 | .667 | — | Advance to the Finals |
| 3 | Ginebra San Miguel | 10 | 8 | .556 | 2 | Proceed to third-place playoff |
| 4 | Alaska Milkmen | 9 | 9 | .500 | 3 | Proceed to third-place playoff |
| 5 | Great Taste Instant Milk | 6 | 12 | .333 | 6 | |
| Pos | Teamvte | W | L |
| 1 | Purefoods Hotdogs | 6 | 2 |
| 2 | San Miguel Beermen | 5 | 3 |
| 3 | Ginebra San Miguel | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Alaska Milkmen | 3 | 5 |
| 5 | Great Taste Instant Milk | 2 | 6 |

### Third place playoffs

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
| (3) Ginebra San Miguel | 2–3 | (4) Alaska Milkmen | 119–121 (OT) | 115–112 | 118–130 | 127–100 | 104–117 |

### Finals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Game 7 |
| (1) San Miguel Beermen | 4–3 | (2) Purefoods Hotdogs | 129–116 | 101–107 | 88–96 | 93–88 | 97–103 | 105–85 | 94–92 |
* Best Import of the Conference: Jamie Waller (Ginebra)

## All-Filipino Conference
### Elimination round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Purefoods Hotdogs | 8 | 4 | .667 | — | Semifinal round |
| 2 | San Miguel Beermen | 8 | 4 | .667 | — | Semifinal round |
| 3 | Alaska Milkmen | 7 | 5 | .583 | 1 | Semifinal round |
| 4 | Añejo Rum 65ers | 7 | 5 | .583 | 1 | Semifinal round |
| 5 | Great Taste Instant Milk | 6 | 6 | .500 | 2 | Semifinal round |
| 6 | Shell Rimula X Diesel Oilers | 3 | 9 | .250 | 5 | |
| 7 | Philippine national team (G) | 3 | 9 | .250 | 5 | |

### Semifinal round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Purefoods Hotdogs | 13 | 7 | .650 | — | Advance to the Finals |
| 2 | Añejo Rum 65ers | 12 | 8 | .600 | 1 | Advance to the Finals |
| 3 | San Miguel Beermen | 12 | 8 | .600 | 1 | Proceed to third-place playoff |
| 4 | Alaska Milkmen | 10 | 10 | .500 | 3 | Proceed to third-place playoff |
| 5 | Great Taste Instant Milk | 9 | 11 | .450 | 4 | |
| Pos | Teamvte | W | L |
| 1 | Añejo Rum 65ers | 5 | 3 |
| 2 | Purefoods Hotdogs | 5 | 3 |
| 3 | San Miguel Beermen | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Alaska Milkmen | 3 | 5 |
| 5 | Great Taste Instant Milk | 3 | 5 |

### Third place playoffs

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| (3) San Miguel Beermen | 2–1 | (4) Alaska Milkmen | 112–108 | 115–121 | 87–98 |

### Finals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
| (1) Purefoods Hotdogs | 1–3 | (2) Añejo Rum 65ers | 105–111 | 117–112 | 110–112 | 124–135 (OT) | — |

## Reinforced Conference
### Elimination round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | San Miguel Beermen | 7 | 3 | .700 | — | Semifinal round |
| 2 | Presto Ice Cream Makers | 7 | 3 | .700 | — | Semifinal round |
| 3 | Shell Rimula X Oilers | 5 | 5 | .500 | 2 | Semifinal round |
| 4 | Alaska Milkmen | 5 | 5 | .500 | 2 | Semifinal round |
| 5 | Añejo Rum 65ers | 5 | 5 | .500 | 2 | Semifinal round |
| 6 | Purefoods Hotdogs | 1 | 9 | .100 | 6 | |

### Semifinal round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | San Miguel Beermen | 13 | 5 | .722 | — | Advance to the Finals |
| 2 | Shell Rimula X Oilers | 11 | 7 | .611 | 2 | Advance to the Finals |
| 3 | Presto Ice Cream Makers | 10 | 8 | .556 | 3 | Proceed to third-place playoff |
| 4 | Añejo Rum 65ers | 9 | 9 | .500 | 4 | Proceed to third-place playoff |
| 5 | Alaska Milkmen | 6 | 12 | .333 | 7 | |
| Pos | Teamvte | W | L |
| 1 | San Miguel Beermen | 6 | 2 |
| 2 | Shell Rimula X Oilers | 6 | 2 |
| 3 | Añejo Rum 65ers | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Presto Ice Cream Makers | 3 | 5 |
| 5 | Alaska Milkmen | 1 | 7 |

### Third place playoffs

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
| (3) Presto Ice Cream Makers | 1–3 | (4) Añejo Rum 65ers | 141–150 | 138–147 | 138–131 | 145–171 | — |

### Finals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Game 7 |
| (1) San Miguel Beermen | 4–1 | (2) Shell Rimula X Oilers | 134–111 | 119–111 | 126–137 | 144–119 | 151–142 | — | — |
* Best Import of the Conference: Bobby Parks (Shell)

## Awards

* Most Valuable Player: Ramon Fernandez (Purefoods, San Miguel)
* Rookie of the Year: Jojo Lastimosa (Purefoods)
* Most Improved Player: Alvin Teng (San Miguel)
* Best Import-Open Conference: Jamie Waller (Ginebra)
* Best Import-Reinforced Conference: Bobby Parks (Shell)
* Mythical Five:
** Ricardo Brown (San Miguel)
** Hector Calma (San Miguel)
** Abet Guidaben (San Miguel, Purefoods)
** Ramon Fernandez (Purefoods, San Miguel)
** Allan Caidic (Great Taste/Presto)
* Mythical Second Team:
** Robert Jaworski (Añejo)
** Jojo Lastimosa (Purefoods)
** Jerry Codiñera (Purefoods)
** Elpidio Villamin (Alaska)
** Dondon Ampalayo (Añejo)
* All-Defensive Team:
** Abe King (Great Taste/Presto)
** Philip Cezar (Great Taste/Presto)
** Elpidio Villamin (Alaska)
** Robert Jaworski (Añejo)
** Biboy Ravanes (Alaska)

## Cumulative standings

| Team | GP | W | L | PCT |
| San Miguel Beermen | 72 | 46 | 26 | .639 |
| Ginebra San Miguel / Añejo Rum 65ers | 70 | 40 | 30 | .571 |
| Purefoods Hotdogs | 59 | 30 | 29 | .507 |
| Alaska Milkmen | 64 | 30 | 34 | .468 |
| Great Taste Instant Milk / Presto Ice Cream | 60 | 26 | 34 | .433 |
| Shell Rimula-X Diesel Oilers | 45 | 16 | 29 | .355 |
| Philippine Team | 12 | 3 | 9 | .250 |