# 1996 PBA Governors' Cup

The 1996 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors' Cup was the third and last conference of the 1996 PBA season. It started on September 29 and ended on December 17, 1996. The tournament is an import-laden format, which requires an import or a pure-foreign player for each team.

## Format

The following format will be observed for the duration of the conference:
* The teams were divided into 2 groups.
* Teams in a group will play against each other once and against teams in the other group twice; 11 games per team; Teams are then seeded by basis on win–loss records. Ties are broken among point differentials of the tied teams. Standings will be determined in one league table; teams do not qualify by basis of groupings.
* The top two teams will automatically qualify to the semifinals, while the next four teams will have a crossover quarterfinal round.
* Quarterfinals:
** QF1: #3 vs. #6, with #3 having the twice-to-beat advantage
** QF2: #4 vs. #5, with #4 having the twice-to-beat advantage
* Best-of-five semifinals:
** SF1: QF1 vs. #4
** SF2: QF2 vs. #3
* Third-place playoff: losers of the semifinals
* Best-of-seven finals: winners of the semifinals

## Elimination round
### Team standings

| Pos | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Alaska Milkmen | 8 | 3 | .727 | — | Advance to semifinals |
| 2 | Ginebra San Miguel | 7 | 4 | .636 | 1 | Advance to semifinals |
| 3 | San Miguel Beermen | 6 | 5 | .545 | 2 | Twice-to-beat in quarterfinals |
| 4 | Formula Shell Zoom Masters | 6 | 5 | .545 | 2 | Twice-to-beat in quarterfinals |
| 5 | Sunkist Orange Bottlers | 5 | 6 | .455 | 3 | Twice-to-win in quarterfinals |
| 6 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs | 5 | 6 | .455 | 3 | Twice-to-win in quarterfinals |
| 7 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 5 | 6 | .455 | 3 | |
| 8 | Mobiline Cellulars | 2 | 9 | .182 | 6 | |
* 1 2 Head-to-head record: San Miguel 1–0 Shell
* 1 2 3 Head-to-head quotient: Sunkist 1.066, Purefoods 0.986, Sta. Lucia 0.951; 6th-seed playoff: Purefoods 81–76 Sta. Lucia

## Sixth seed playoff

* Vintage
* November 17
* 6th seed
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

## Bracket

| Quarterfinals (Higher seeds twice-to-beat) | Quarterfinals (Higher seeds twice-to-beat) | Quarterfinals (Higher seeds twice-to-beat) | Quarterfinals (Higher seeds twice-to-beat) | Semifinals (best-of-5 series) | Semifinals (best-of-5 series) | Semifinals (best-of-5 series) | Finals (best-of-7 series) | Finals (best-of-7 series) | Finals (best-of-7 series) |
| | | | | 1 | Alaska | 3 | | | |
| 4 | Shell | 100 | 104 | 4 | Shell | 0 | | | |
| 5 | Sunkist | 107 | 101 | | | | 1 | Alaska | 4 |
| | | | | | | | 2 | Ginebra | 1 |
| | | | | 2 | Ginebra | 3 |
| 3 | San Miguel | 91* | 89 | 3 | San Miguel | 1 |
| 6 | Purefoods | 97 | 86 | | | | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | | | | | 4 | Shell | 103 |
| | | | | | | | 3 | San Miguel | 99 |

## Quarterfinals

Shell and San Miguel have a twice-to-beat advantage

### (3) San Miguel vs. (6) Purefoods

* Vintage
* November 19
* recap
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* Vintage
* November 24
San Miguel Beermen 89, Purefoods TJ Hotdogs 86 :
* San Miguel wins series in two games ||
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

### (4) Shell vs. (5) Sunkist

* Vintage
* November 19
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* Vintage
* November 24
* recap
Formula Shell 104, Sunkist Orange Bottlers 101 :
* Shell wins series in two games ||
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

## Semifinals
### (1) Alaska vs. (4) Shell

* Vintage
* November 26
* recap
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* Vintage
* November 29
* recap
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* Vintage
* December 1
Alaska Milkmen 100, Formula Shell 91 :
* Alaska wins series, 3–0 ||
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

### (2) Ginebra vs. (3) San Miguel

* Vintage
* November 26
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* Vintage
* November 29
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* Vintage
* December 1
* recap
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* Vintage
* December 3
* recap
Ginebra San Miguel 122, San Miguel Beermen 106 :
* Ginebra wins series, 3–1 ||
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

## Third place playoff

* Vintage
* December 8
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

## Finals

* Vintage
* December 8
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* Vintage
* December 10
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* Vintage
* December 13
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* Vintage
* December 15
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* Vintage
* December 17
Alaska Milkmen 91, Ginebra San Miguel 83 :
* Alaska wins series, 4–1 ||
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay