# 1991 PBA season

The 1991 PBA season was the 17th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

## Board of governors
### Executive committee

* Rodrigo L. Salud (Commissioner)
* Luis Lorenzo, Sr. (Chairman, representing Pepsi Hotshots)
* Wilfred Steven Uytengsu (Vice Chairman, representing Alaska Milkmen)
* Lance Gokongwei (Treasurer, representing Presto Tivolis)

### Teams

| Team | Company | Governor |
| Alaska Milkmen | General Milling Corporation | Wilfred Steven Uytengsu |
| Ginebra San Miguel | La Tondeña Distillers, Inc. | Carlos Palanca III |
| Pepsi Hotshots | Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. | Luis Lorenzo, Sr. |
| Diet Sarsi | Republic Flour Mills Corporation | Elmer Yanga |
| Presto Tivolis | Consolidated Foods Corporation | Lance Gokongwei |
| Purefoods Hotdogs | Purefoods Corporation | Renato Buhain |
| San Miguel Beermen | San Miguel Corporation | Nazario Avendaño |
| Shell Rimula X | Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation | Ric Lara |

## Season highlights

* The PBA Rookie draft was aired on TV live for the first time in league history.
* A PBA-China exhibition series took place during the pre-season from January 27 – February 3. The three PBA champions last year played the Liaoning basketball team which boast of three Beijing Asian Games veterans in a four-game series. Presto and Shell won over Liaoning but the Chinese cagers prevail against Purefoods in their third outing. Finally, a PBA All-Star selection won over Liaoning in their final assignment.
* Vintage sports commentator Joe Cantada covered his final game on TV during the April 9 replay of the controversial Shell-Purefoods game that took place on March 17.
* An era in Philippine Basketball ended on April 21 when Virgilio "Baby" Dalupan resigned as head coach of Purefoods Hotdogs. Dalupan cited his difference with management as the reason for his resignation.
* On May 19, Ginebra San Miguel made history in the PBA record books as the first team to come back from a 1–3 series deficit and beat Shell Rimula-X in game 7 of the best-of-seven 1st conference championship showdown. Rudy Distrito made a difficult baseline fadeaway shot against two Shell defenders with one second remaining to give Ginebra their third PBA title.
* After the contract of Alvin Patrimonio with Purefoods expired in June, Pepsi Hotshots offered Patrimonio a P 25.3 million salary and a benefits package for 5+1⁄2 years, Purefoods matched Pepsi's multi-million peso contract to retain Patrimonio's services.
* Due to numerous players requesting megabuck deals, the league initiated a "salary cap" starting the 1992 season. Swift, Shell, Alaska, Tivoli, Pepsi and Ginebra will have a P12 million cap while Purefoods and San Miguel will have a cap of P15 million.
* Alvin Patrimonio of Purefoods won the season's Most Valuable Player award. The PBA Awards Night took place on December 19 at the ULTRA and it was billed as "Pasasalamat".
* By the end of the season, Rudy Salud resigned as the commissioner of the league.

## Opening ceremonies

The muses for the participating teams are as follows:
| Team | Muse |
| Alaska Milkmen | Christine Jacob |
| Diet Sarsi Sizzlers | Gretchen Barretto |
| Ginebra San Miguel | Shireen Ledesma |
| Pepsi Hotshots | Emily Artadi |
| Presto Tivolis | Carmi Matic and Jane Ashley |
| Purefoods Hotdogs | Sofia Zobel |
| San Miguel Beermen | Nanette Medved |
| Shell Rimula X | Jennifer Pingree and Maricel Laxa |

## Champions

* First Conference: Ginebra San Miguel
* All-Filipino Conference: Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs
* Third Conference: Alaska Milkmen
* Team with best win–loss percentage: Alaska Milkmen (31–25, .554)
* Best Team of the Year: Ginebra San Miguel (1st)

## First Conference
### Elimination round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Shell Rimula X | 8 | 3 | .727 | — | Semifinal round |
| 2 | San Miguel Beermen | 7 | 4 | .636 | 1 | Semifinal round |
| 3 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs | 6 | 5 | .545 | 2 | Semifinal round |
| 4 | Diet Sarsi Sizzlers | 6 | 5 | .545 | 2 | Semifinal round |
| 5 | Ginebra San Miguel | 5 | 6 | .455 | 3 | Semifinal round |
| 6 | Presto Tivolis | 4 | 7 | .364 | 4 | |
| 7 | Alaska Milkmen | 4 | 7 | .364 | 4 | |
| 8 | Pepsi Hotshots | 4 | 7 | .364 | 4 | |

### Semifinal round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Shell Rimula X | 12 | 7 | .632 | — | Advance to the finals |
| 2 | Ginebra San Miguel | 12 | 7 | .632 | — | Advance to the finals |
| 3 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs | 10 | 9 | .526 | 2 | Proceed to third-place playoff |
| 4 | Diet Sarsi Sizzlers | 9 | 10 | .474 | 3 | Proceed to third-place playoff |
| 5 | San Miguel Beermen | 9 | 10 | .474 | 3 | |
| Pos | Teamvte | W | L |
| 1 | Ginebra San Miguel | 7 | 1 |
| 2 | Shell Rimula X | 4 | 4 |
| 3 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Diet Sarsi Sizzlers | 3 | 5 |
| 5 | San Miguel Beermen | 2 | 6 |

### Third-place playoffs

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
| (3) Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs | 0–3 | (4) Diet Sarsi Sizzlers | 113–133 | 124–147 | 122–131 | — | — |

### Finals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Game 7 |
| (1) Shell Rimula X | 3–4 | (2) Ginebra San Miguel | 114–109 | 114–125 (OT) | 120–113 | 127–125 (OT) | 90–116 | 119–123 | 102–104 |
* Best Import of the Conference: Bobby Parks (Shell)

## All-Filipino Conference
### Elimination round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Diet Sarsi Sizzlers | 8 | 3 | .727 | — | Semifinal round |
| 2 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs | 7 | 4 | .636 | 1 | Semifinal round |
| 3 | San Miguel Beermen | 6 | 5 | .545 | 2 | Semifinal round |
| 4 | Tivoli Milkmasters | 6 | 5 | .545 | 2 | Semifinal round |
| 5 | Alaska Milkmen | 6 | 5 | .545 | 2 | Semifinal round |
| 6 | Ginebra San Miguel | 4 | 7 | .364 | 4 | |
| 7 | Shell Rimula X | 4 | 7 | .364 | 4 | |
| 8 | Pepsi Hotshots | 3 | 8 | .273 | 5 | |

### Semifinal round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs | 12 | 7 | .632 | — | Advance to the finals |
| 2 | Diet Sarsi Sizzlers | 12 | 7 | .632 | — | Guaranteed finals berth playoff |
| 3 | San Miguel Beermen | 11 | 8 | .579 | 1 | Qualify to finals berth playoff |
| 4 | Alaska Milkmen | 10 | 9 | .526 | 2 | Proceed to third-place playoff |
| 5 | Tivoli Milkmasters | 8 | 11 | .421 | 4 | |
| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | Qualification |
| 1 | San Miguel Beermen | 5 | 3 | Qualify to finals berth playoff |
| 2 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs | 5 | 3 | |
| 3 | Alaska Milkmen | 4 | 4 | |
| 4 | Diet Sarsi Sizzlers | 4 | 4 | |
| 5 | Tivoli Milkmasters | 2 | 6 | |

### Third-place playoffs

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| (3) San Miguel Beermen | 1–2 | (4) Alaska Milkmen | 99–101 | 106–96 | 93–108 |

### Finals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
| (1) Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs | 3–2 | (2) Diet Sarsi Sizzlers | 107–111 | 112–102 | 105–109 | 115–105 | 107–100 |

## Third Conference
### Elimination round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Pepsi Hotshots | 8 | 3 | .727 | — | Semifinal round |
| 2 | Alaska Milkmen | 7 | 4 | .636 | 1 | Semifinal round |
| 3 | Ginebra San Miguel | 7 | 4 | .636 | 1 | Semifinal round |
| 4 | San Miguel Beermen | 6 | 5 | .545 | 2 | Semifinal round |
| 5 | Tivoli Milkmasters | 6 | 5 | .545 | 2 | Semifinal round |
| 6 | Shell Rimula X | 4 | 7 | .364 | 4 | |
| 7 | Swify Mighty Meaty Hotdogs | 4 | 7 | .364 | 4 | |
| 8 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs | 2 | 9 | .182 | 6 | |

### Semifinal round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Alaska Milkmen | 12 | 7 | .632 | — | Advance to the Finals |
| 2 | Ginebra San Miguel | 12 | 7 | .632 | — | Advance to the Finals |
| 3 | Pepsi Hotshots | 11 | 8 | .579 | 1 | Proceed to third-place playoff |
| 4 | San Miguel Beermen | 10 | 9 | .526 | 2 | Proceed to third-place playoff |
| 5 | Tivoli Milkmasters | 9 | 10 | .474 | 3 | |
| Pos | Teamvte | W | L |
| 1 | Alaska Milkmen | 5 | 3 |
| 2 | Ginebra San Miguel | 5 | 3 |
| 3 | San Miguel Beermen | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Pepsi Hotshots | 3 | 5 |
| 5 | Tivoli Milkmasters | 3 | 5 |

### Third-place playoffs

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| (3) Pepsi Hotshots | 1–2 | (4) San Miguel Beermen | 116–119 | 109–105 | 109–114 |

### Finals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
| (1) Alaska Milkmen | 3–1 | (2) Ginebra San Miguel | 93–92 | 105–107 | 122–103 | 99–90 | — |
* Best Import of the Conference: Wes Matthews (Ginebra)

## Awards

* Most Valuable Player: Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods)
* Rookie of the Year: Eugene Quilban (Alaska)
* Most Improved Player: Ato Agustin (San Miguel)
* Mythical Five:
** Jojo Lastimosa (Alaska)
** Allan Caidic (Tivoli)
** Ramon Fernandez (San Miguel)
** Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods)
** Benjie Paras (Shell)
* Mythical Second Team:
** Ronnie Magsanoc (Shell)
** Ato Agustin (San Miguel)
** Jerry Codiñera (Purefoods)
** Alvin Teng (San Miguel)
** Elpidio Villamin (Sarsi/Swift)
* All-Defensive Team:
** Jerry Codiñera (Purefoods)
** Glenn Capacio (Purefoods)
** Alvin Teng (San Miguel)
** Biboy Ravanes (Alaska)
** Chito Loyzaga (Ginebra)

## Cumulative standings

| Team | GP | W | L | PCT |
| Alaska Milkmen | 56 | 31 | 25 | .554 |
| Ginebra San Miguel | 60 | 33 | 27 | .550 |
| Diet Sarsi Sizzlers / Swift Mighty Meaty Hotdogs | 58 | 31 | 27 | .535 |
| San Miguel Beermen | 64 | 33 | 31 | .515 |
| Shell Rimula-X | 48 | 23 | 25 | .480 |
| Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 57 | 27 | 30 | .473 |
| Pepsi Hotshots | 44 | 19 | 25 | .431 |
| Tivoli Milk Masters | 49 | 21 | 28 | .429 |