# 2008–09 PBA Philippine Cup

The 2008-09 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup or known as the 2008-09 KFC PBA Philippine Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the first conference of the 2008-09 PBA season. The tournament started on October 4, 2008, and ended on February 11, 2009. The new conference will have games on Thursdays and Saturdays. The tournament is an All-Filipino format, which bans an import or a pure-foreign player for each team.
The tournament featured the first ever regular season game played in Singapore. It was played at the Singapore Indoor Stadium between the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters and the San Miguel Beermen on November 30.

## Format

The following format was observed for the duration of the conference:
* Double-round robin eliminations; 18 games per team; Teams are then seeded by basis on win–loss records. Ties are broken among points differences of the tied teams if the teams are not tied for #2, #5 or #9. If tied on those seeds, an extra game will be played to determine which team clinches the higher seed.
* Teams seeded #6 vs # 9 and #7 vs # 8 both games is knock out then winner of both games advance the next knock out games to determine witch teams go to quarterfinals
* #3, #4 and #5 teams automatically advance to the best of three quarterfinals:
** #3 team vs. winner of knockout wildcard
** #4 vs. #5 teams
* #1 and #2 teams automatically advance to the best of seven semifinals:
** Winner of first quarterfinal vs. #1
** Winner of second quarterfinal vs. #2
* The winners in the semifinals advance to the best-of-seven Finals. The losers dispute the third-place trophy in a one-game playoff.

## Elimination round
### Team standings

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Alaska Aces | 12 | 6 | .667 | — | Advance to semifinals |
| 2 | Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters | 11 | 7 | .611 | 1 | Advance to semifinals |
| 3 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 10 | 8 | .556 | 2 | Advance to quarterfinals |
| 4 | Rain or Shine Elasto Painters | 10 | 8 | .556 | 2 | Advance to quarterfinals |
| 5 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 10 | 8 | .556 | 2 | Advance to quarterfinals |
| 6 | San Miguel Beermen | 9 | 9 | .500 | 3 | Advance to wildcard round |
| 7 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants | 8 | 10 | .444 | 4 | Advance to wildcard round |
| 8 | Air21 Express | 8 | 10 | .444 | 4 | Advance to wildcard round |
| 9 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 7 | 11 | .389 | 5 | Advance to wildcard round |
| 10 | Red Bull Barako | 5 | 13 | .278 | 7 | |
* 1 2 3 Head-to-head differential: Barangay Ginebra +16, Rain or Shine −3, Sta. Lucia −13
* 1 2 Head-to-head record: Purefoods 2–0 Air21

### Schedule

| | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 |
| Team ╲ Game | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Air21 | ROS | TNT | BGK | Coke | SLR | ALA | PF | SMB | ROS | Coke | RBB | SMB | PF | BGK | SLR | RBB | ALA | TNT |
| Alaska | SMB | Coke | RBB | ROS | TNT | A21 | BGK | SLR | PF | SMB | ROS | TNT | SLR | Coke | RBB | BGK | A21 | PF |
| Barangay Ginebra | SLR | A21 | RBB | SMB | PF | ALA | ROS | Coke | TNT | PF | SLR | Coke | RBB | A21 | ALA | TNT | SMB | ROS |
| Coca-Cola | TNT | ALA | PF | A21 | SLR | ROS | RBB | BGK | SMB | A21 | PF | ROS | BGK | ALA | TNT | SMB | SLR | RBB |
| Purefoods | RBB | SMB | Coke | SLR | ROS | BGK | A21 | TNT | ALA | RBB | BGK | Coke | SMB | A21 | ROS | SLR | TNT | ALA |
| Rain or Shine | A21 | RBB | SMB | ALA | PF | Coke | TNT | BGK | A21 | SLR | ALA | Coke | RBB | SLR | PF | TNT | SMB | BGK |
| Red Bull | PF | ROS | ALA | BGK | SMB | TNT | Coke | SLR | PF | TNT | A21 | ROS | BGK | SMB | ALA | A21 | Coke | SLR |
| San Miguel | ALA | PF | ROS | TNT | BGK | RBB | SLR | A21 | Coke | ALA | SLR | PF | A21 | TNT | RBB | Coke | ROS | BGK |
| Sta. Lucia | BGK | TNT | PF | Coke | A21 | SMB | ALA | RBB | ROS | SMB | BGK | TNT | ALA | ROS | A21 | PF | Coke | RBB |
| Talk 'N Text | Coke | A21 | SLR | SMB | ALA | RBB | ROS | PF | BGK | RBB | ALA | SLR | SMB | Coke | ROS | PF | BGK | A21 |

## Bracket

| Wildcard phase (single elimination) | Wildcard phase (single elimination) | Wildcard phase (single elimination) | Wildcard phase (single elimination) | Wildcard phase (single elimination) | Wildcard phase (single elimination) | Quarterfinals (best-of-3) | Quarterfinals (best-of-3) | Quarterfinals (best-of-3) | Semifinals (best-of-7) | Semifinals (best-of-7) | Semifinals (best-of-7) | Finals (best-of-7) | Finals (best-of-7) | Finals (best-of-7) |
| 7 | Purefoods | 82 | | | | | | | 2 | Talk 'N Text | 4 | |
| 8 | Air21 | 94 | | | | 3 | Ginebra | 1 | 6 | San Miguel | 2 | |
| | | | 8 | Air21 | 86 | 6 | San Miguel | 2 | | | | | | |
| | | | 6 | San Miguel | 105 | | | | | | | 2 | Talk 'N Text | 4 |
| 6 | San Miguel | 99 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Alaska | 3 |
| 9 | Coca-Cola | 89 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 1 | Alaska | 4 | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | | | | 4 | Rain or Shine | 0 | 5 | Sta. Lucia | 2 | | | |
| | | | | | | 5 | Sta. Lucia | 2 | | 6 | San Miguel | 97 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Sta. Lucia (OT) | 99 |
* view
* talk

## Wildcard phase
### First round

* C/S9
* December 28
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* December 28
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

### Second round

* C/S9
* January 4
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

## Quarterfinals
### (3) Barangay Ginebra vs. (6) San Miguel

* C/S9
* January 7
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* January 9
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* C/S9
* January 11
Barangay Ginebra Kings 93, San Miguel Beermen 98 :
* San Miguel wins series, 2–1 ||
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
In a battle of the two teams owned by the San Miguel Corporation, the Beermen escaped with a one-point win at game 1. The Kings averted elimination when the Beermen collapsed at Game 2, but Dondon Hontiveros lead the charge at game 3's fourth quarter to prevent a second-consecutive PBA championship for Ginebra as the Beermen closed out the Kings in a sold-out Cuneta Astrodome.

### (4) Rain or Shine vs (5) Sta. Lucia

* C/S9
* January 7
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* January 9
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters 85, Sta. Lucia Realtors 92 :
* Sta. Lucia wins series, 2–0 ||
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
In their first playoff appearance since joining the league in 2006, the Elasto Painters were overwhelmed in Game 1 by the defending champions, who played with the comebacking Ryan Reyes who just came from injury. Fracas involving Rain or Shine's Gabe Norwood and Solomon Mercado at the end of the first game caused Norwood to be suspended in Game 2, and Mercado on Game 3 if it happens. The short-handed Elasto Painters wound up short in Game 2 as they were eliminated.

## Semifinals
### (1) Alaska vs (5) Sta. Lucia

* C/S9
* January 14
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* January 16
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* January 18
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* January 21
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* C/S9
* January 23
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* C/S9
* January 25
Alaska Aces 87, Sta. Lucia Realtors 83 :
* Alaska wins series, 4–2 ||
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
In a rematch of the 2007-08 semifinals series, the Aces won two consecutive game to lead the series 2–0. However, the Realtors won Game 3 to cut the series lead. But Alaska, seeking to prevent what happened last year, won Game 4 to take a commanding 3–1 series lead. Sta. Lucia won Game 5 but they came out short in Game 6 with Willie Miller having an all-around performance to lead the Aces to a rematch of the 2007 PBA Fiesta Conference Finals against Talk 'N Text.

### (2) Talk 'N Text vs. (6) San Miguel

* C/S9
* January 14
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* January 16
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* January 18
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* January 21
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* C/S9
* January 23
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* C/S9
* January 25
Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters 116, San Miguel Beermen 115 (OT) :
* Talk 'N Text wins series, 4–2 ||
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
Unlike the other semifinal which was a slow defensive battle, the Talk 'N Text–San Miguel matchup was a high-scoring offensive-minded series, with both teams passing the century mark in all of the games. The Texters walloped the winded Beermen in Game 1 with a 29-point win, but the Beermen were able to get even with a Game 2 victory. The Texters escaped at Game 3 thanks to Jimmy Alapag's clutch baskets, despite Hontiveros' 39-point explosion.
In a do-or-die Game 5, Marc Pingris and former Talk 'N Text player Jay Washington had double-double efforts to prevent the Texters from barging in the Finals. With Yancy de Ocampo was suspended after committing a flagrant foul-penalty 2 against Danny Seigle in Game 6, his brother Ranidel was ejected in the second quarter with the same offense. The game was close until the third quarter when the Texters made a run, but the Beermen tied the game at the end of the fourth quarter; Alapag missed a go-ahead tree-pointer as time expired to force overtime. With 1:57 left in overtime, Washington scored on a put-back to put SMB up 115–113. On the next possession, Mark Cardona converted his own three-pointer to put TNT up 116–115. Washington missed a short stab, and Harvey Carey missed his own shot at the other end. Ali Peek tapped the ball, and Cardona grabbed it as time expired, to lead the Texters into the Finals.

## Third place playoff

* C/S9
* January 28
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

## Finals

* C/S9
* January 28
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* January 30
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* February 1
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* February 4
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* February 6
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* C/S9
* February 8
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* C/S9
* February 11
Alaska Aces 89, Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters 93 :
* Talk 'N Text wins series, 4–3 ||
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

## Awards

* Finals MVP: Mark Cardona (Talk 'N Text)
* Best Player of the Conference: Willie Miller (Alaska Aces)
* Players of the Week:
** October 4–5: Solomon Mercado (Rain or Shine Elasto Painters)
** October 6–12: Junjun Cabatu (Barangay Ginebra Kings)
** October 13–19: Jay Washington (San Miguel Beermen) and Willie Miller (Alaska Aces)
** October 20–26: Asi Taulava (Coca-Cola Tigers)
** October 27 – November 2: James Yap and Kerby Raymundo (Purefoods TJ Giants)
** November 3–9: Gary David (Air21 Express)
** November 10–16: Mark Cardona (Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters)
** November 17–23: Joseph Yeo (Sta. Lucia Realtors) and Ronjay Buenafe (Coca-Cola Tigers)
** November 24–30: Jimmy Alapag (Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters)
** December 1 – 7: Ranidel de Ocampo (Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters)
** December 8–14: Jeffrei Chan (Red Bull Barako)
** December 15–21: John Arigo (Coca-Cola Tigers) and Joseph Yeo (Sta. Lucia Realtors)
** December 22–28: Ranidel de Ocampo (Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters)
** December 29 – January 4: Bonbon Custodio (San Miguel Beermen)
** January 5–11: Dondon Hontiveros (San Miguel Beermen)
** January 12–18: Jimmy Alapag (Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters)
** January 19–25: Mark Cardona (Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters)

## Conference records

    Records marked with an asterisk (*) were accomplished with one or more overtime periods.

### Team

| Record | Stat | Holder | Date/s |
| Longest winning streak | 5 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | December 11 – January 13 |
| Longest losing streak | 8 | Red Bull Barako | November 2 – December 14 |
| Most points in one quarter | 42 | Sta. Lucia Realtors vs. Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters (4th Quarter) | October 12, 2008 |
| Biggest winning margin | 29 | San Miguel Beermen 118, Barangay Ginebra Kings 89 | October 22, 2008 |
| Biggest winning margin | 29 | Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters 129, San Miguel Beermen 100 | January 14, 2009 |

### Individual

| Record | Stat | Holder | Date/s |
| Most points in one game | 42 | Mark Cardona (Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters) vs. Red Bull Barako | November 16, 2008 |
| Most points in one half | 30 | Gary David (Air21 Express) vs. San Miguel Beermen | November 5, 2008 |
| Most points in one quarter | 19 | Gary David (Air21 Express) vs. San Miguel Beermen | November 5, 2008 |
| Most rebounds in one game | 25 | Asi Taulava (Coca-Cola Tigers) vs. Air21 Express | November 15, 2008 |
| Most assists in one game | 12 | LA Tenorio (Alaska Aces) vs. Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters | February 6, 2009 |
| Most blocks in one game | 6 | Mike Hrabak (Red Bull Barako) vs. Purefoods TJ Giants | October 8, 2008 |
| Most blocks in one game | 6 | J.R. Quiñahan (Air21 Express) vs. Brgy. Ginebra Kings | December 5, 2008 |
| Most steals in one game | 6 | Bonbon Custodio (San Miguel Beermen) vs. Red Bull Barako | December 6, 2008 |
| Most 3 point FG made in one game | 8 | 3 Tied | 3 Occasions |
| Most minutes played in one game | 50* | James Yap (Purefoods TJ Giants) vs. Coca-Cola Tigers | October 15, 2008 |
| Most minutes played in one game | 50* | Asi Taulava (Coca-Cola Tigers) vs Purefoods TJ Giants | October 15, 2008 |

## Statistical leaders

| Category | Player | Team | Stat | GP |
| Points per game | Mark Cardona | Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters | 22.32 | 22 |
| Rebounds per game | Asi Taulava | Coca-Cola Tigers | 13.00 | 16 |
| Assists per game | Alex Cabagnot | Coca-Cola Tigers | 5.69 | 16 |
| Steals per game | Ryan Reyes | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 2.07 | 15 |
| Blocks per game | J.R. Quiñahan | Air21 Express | 2.00 | 19 |
| Field goal percentage | Willy Wilson | Barangay Ginebra Kings | .548 | 21 |
| Free throw percentage | Olsen Racela | San Miguel Beermen | .913 | 26 |
| Three-point field goal percentage | Mark Macapagal | Coca-Cola Tigers | .477 | 19 |