# 1996 PBA Commissioner's Cup

The 1996 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner's Cup was the second conference of the 1996 PBA season. It started on June 14 and ended on September 10, 1996. The tournament is an import-laden format, which requires an import or a pure-foreign player for each team with a 6'7" 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 once and against teams in the other group twice; 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 | Alaska Milkmen | 8 | 2 | .800 | — | Semifinal round |
| 2 | Ginebra San Miguel | 6 | 4 | .600 | 2 | Semifinal round |
| 3 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 6 | 4 | .600 | 2 | Semifinal round |
| 4 | Formula Shell Zoom Masters | 5 | 5 | .500 | 3 | Semifinal round |
| 5 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs | 5 | 5 | .500 | 3 | Semifinal round |
| 6 | Sunkist Orange Juicers | 5 | 5 | .500 | 3 | |
| 7 | San Miguel Beermen | 4 | 6 | .400 | 4 | |
| 8 | Mobiline Cellulars | 1 | 9 | .100 | 7 | |
* 1 2 Head-to-head record: Ginebra 1–0 Sta. Lucia
* 1 2 3 Head-to-head quotient: Shell 1.170, Purefoods 1.050, Sunkist 0.861; semifinal round berth playoff: Purefoods 89–76 Sunkist

## Semifinal round berth playoff

* Vintage
* July 30
* 5th seed
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

## Semifinal round
### Team standings

| Pos | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Alaska Milkmen | 14 | 4 | .778 | — | Advance to the finals |
| 2 | Ginebra San Miguel | 12 | 6 | .667 | 2 | Guaranteed finals berth playoff |
| 3 | Formula Shell Zoom Masters | 10 | 8 | .556 | 4 | Qualify to finals berth playoff |
| 4 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 8 | 10 | .444 | 6 | Proceed to third-place playoff |
| 5 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs | 6 | 12 | .333 | 8 | |
| Pos | Team | W | L | Qualification |
| 1 | Alaska Milkmen | 6 | 2 | |
| 2 | Ginebra San Miguel | 6 | 2 | |
| 3 | Formula Shell Zoom Masters | 5 | 3 | Qualify to finals berth playoff |
| 4 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 2 | 6 | |
| 5 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs | 1 | 7 | |

## Finals berth playoff

* Vintage
* August 25
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
Bal David sank a three-point shot, putting the Gins on with the lead, 86–83 with 17 seconds left in the game. Richie Ticson however also made a three pointer tying the game again, 86-all with 10.5 seconds left.
After calling a timeout to design the last play, Henry James opted to try a three pointer after an inbound pass from Vince Hizon. James' shot was blocked by Benjie Paras and picked up by Kenny Redfield, making a buzzer beating three point shot, thus winning the game for them, 89–86.

## Third place playoff

* Vintage
* August 27
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

## Finals

* Vintage
* August 27
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* Vintage
* August 30
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* Vintage
* September 1
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* Vintage
* September 3
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* Vintage
* September 6
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* Vintage
* September 8
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* Vintage
* September 10
Alaska Milkmen 83, Formula Shell 77 :
* Alaska wins series, 4–3 ||
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay