# 1997 PBA Commissioner's Cup

The 1997 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner's Cup was the second conference of the 1997 PBA season. It started on June 13 and ended on September 7, 1997. The tournament is an import-laden format, which requires an import or a pure-foreign player for each team with a 6'8" height limit.

## 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 twice and against teams in the other group once; 10 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 five teams after the eliminations will advance to the semifinals.
* Semifinals will be two round robin affairs with the remaining five teams. Results from the eliminations will be carried over. A playoff incentive for a finals berth will be given to the team that will win at least five of their eight semifinal games.
* The top two teams (or the top team and the winner of the playoff incentive) will face each other in a best-of-seven championship series. The next two teams (or the loser of the playoff incentive and the fourth seeded team) dispute the third-place trophy in a one-game playoff.

## Elimination round
### Team standings

| Pos | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Gordon's Gin Boars | 6 | 4 | .600 | — | Semifinal round |
| 2 | San Miguel Beermen | 6 | 4 | .600 | — | Semifinal round |
| 3 | Formula Shell Zoom Masters | 6 | 4 | .600 | — | Semifinal round |
| 4 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 6 | 4 | .600 | — | Semifinal round |
| 5 | Alaska Milkmen | 5 | 5 | .500 | 1 | Semifinal round |
| 6 | Mobiline Cellulars | 4 | 6 | .400 | 2 | |
| 7 | Pop Cola Bottlers | 4 | 6 | .400 | 2 | |
| 8 | Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys | 3 | 7 | .300 | 3 | |

## Semifinal round
### Team standings

| Pos | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Alaska Milkmen | 11 | 7 | .611 | — | Advance to the finals |
| 2 | Gordon's Gin Boars | 11 | 7 | .611 | — | Guaranteed finals berth playoff |
| 3 | San Miguel Beermen | 11 | 7 | .611 | — | Qualify to finals berth playoff |
| 4 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 8 | 10 | .444 | 3 | Proceed to third-place playoff |
| 5 | Formula Shell Zoom Masters | 8 | 10 | .444 | 3 | |
| Pos | Team | W | L | Qualification |
| 1 | Alaska Milkmen | 6 | 2 | |
| 2 | Gordon's Gin Boars | 5 | 3 | |
| 3 | San Miguel Beermen | 5 | 3 | Qualify to finals berth playoff |
| 4 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 2 | 6 | |
| 5 | Formula Shell Zoom Masters | 2 | 6 | |

## Finals berth playoff

* VTV
* August 24 6:00 pm
San Miguel Beermen 100, Gordon's Gin Boars 106 (2OT) :
| Scoring by quarter: 20–16, 14–22, 22–17, 24–25, Overtime: 14–14, 6–12 |||
| Pts: Jeff Ward 29 Rebs: Jeff Ward 14 Asts: Olsen Racela 7 | Pts: Chris King 36 Rebs: Chris King 17 Asts: Chris King 6 |
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

## Third place playoff

* VTV
* August 26
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

## Finals

* VTV
* August 26
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* VTV
* August 29
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* VTV
* August 31
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* VTV
* September 2
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* VTV
* September 5
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* VTV
* September 7
Alaska Milkmen 79, Gordon's Gin Boars 105 :
* Gordon's Gin wins series, 4–2 ||
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay