# 2003 PBA season

The 2003 PBA season was the 29th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

## Board of governors
### Executive committee

* Jose Emmanuel M. Eala (Commissioner)
* Casiano Cabalan Jr. (Chairman, representing Barangay Ginebra Kings)
* Manuel M. Encarnado (Vice-Chairman, representing Sta. Lucia Realtors)
* Angelito Alvarez (Treasurer, representing FedEx Express)

### Teams

| Team | Company | Governor | Alternate Governor |
| Alaska Aces | Alaska Milk Corporation | Wilfred Steven Uytengsu | Joaquin Trillo |
| Barangay Ginebra Kings | La Tondeña Distillers, Inc. | Casiano Cabalan Jr | Ira Daniel Maniquis |
| Batang Red Bull Thunder | Photokina Marketing Corporation | George Chua | Manuel Mendoza |
| Coca Cola Tigers | Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. | Jesse Macias | |
| FedEx Express | Airfrieght 2100, Inc. | Angelito Alvarez | Alberto Lina |
| Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | Purefoods Corporation | Francisco Alejo III | Rene Pardo |
| Sta. Lucia Realtors | Sta. Lucia Realty and Development Corporation | Manuel Encarnado | Ariel Magno |
| San Miguel Beermen | San Miguel Brewery, Inc. | Alberto Malapit | Ely Capacio |
| Shell Turbo Chargers | Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation | Roberto Kanapi | |
| Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company | Ricky Vargas | Al Panlilio |

## Opening ceremonies

The muses for the participating teams are as follows:
| Team | Muse |
| Alaska Aces | Michelle Quizon |
| Batang Red Bull Thunder | Four Binibining Pilipinas-Miss World |
| Barangay Ginebra Kings | Aubrey Miles |
| Coca-Cola Tigers | Zorayda Ruth Andam |
| FedEx Express | Sandra Seifert |
| Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | Maxene Magalona |
| San Miguel Beermen | Apreal Tolentino |
| Shell Turbo Chargers | Phoemela Baranda |
| Sta. Lucia Realtors | Cindy Kurleto |
| Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | Mika Lim |

## Notable occurrences

* The NBN/IBC consortium took over the league's TV coverage after winning the TV rights over the league's TV partner Viva Television in December 2002.
* Noli Eala became the league's sixth commissioner after Jun Bernardino retired at the end of the 2002 season.
* The league reintroduced the Invitational Championship and the Reinforced Conference.
* The league reverted their rules of playing 12-minute quarters and the use of the 6.75 m (22.1 feet) three point line. The eight-second backcourt rule was retained. In 2002, the league adopted all of the FIBA basketball rules to prepare the players that will play for the Asian Games in Busan.
* The Talk 'N Text Phone Pals filed a game protest on their match against the Barangay Ginebra Kings on March 21 and questioned the nullification of a possible game-winning shot of Asi Taulava with 0.2 seconds remaining in the first overtime. Barangay Ginebra eventually won the match, 122-117 in the second overtime. On March 26, PBA commissioner Noli Eala ordered to replay the game on April 22. All game statistics from the nullified game, including the 45-point, 18 rebound explosion of Eric Menk of Barangay Ginebra, and the 40-point, 14-assist output of Jimmy Alapag of Talk 'N Text will be removed from the PBA records. The replay was won by Talk 'N Text, 90-87.
* The league's greatest rivalry; the Crispa Redmanizers and Toyota Tamaraws clash in a reunion game coinciding the league's All-Star Weekend at the Araneta Coliseum. The Toyota Tamaraws won, 65-61.
* The NBN/IBC consortium and the PBA contested the placement of logos of Beam Toothpaste at the Araneta Coliseum's basketball flooring. The advertisement placements were done between the Araneta Coliseum and Nelson Macaraig's Jonels Promotion. A same agreement was done by Jonels Promotion for the PhilSports Arena weeks after. The league considered this as "backdoor advertising" as Macaraig did not enter an agreement with the PBA to put Beam's logos in the league's main playing venues and threatened the management of both venues that they will not hold their games at Araneta Coliseum and PhilSports Arena unless both will remove the Beam Toothpaste advertisements.
* An estafa case was filed against Nelson Macaraig and Jonels Promotion after Macaraig issued a bounced check for P5 million for payment for the Beam Toothpaste advertisements at the Araneta Coliseum and PhilSports Arena.
* Commissioner Noli Eala sanctioned the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals with a P250,000 fine, for shooting at their opponent's basket at the closing seconds of their match against Red Bull Barako on August 13, 2003. Talk 'N Text was leading with one point 88-87 and wanted to force the game to overtime since Talk 'N Text needed to win at least eight points to enter the playoffs. Talk 'N Text coach Ariel Vanguardia was separately fined with P50,000 and suspended for five games.
* A random drug testing was initiated by the league and two players were suspended for testing positive in illegal substance: Alex Crisano of the Barangay Ginebra Kings and Jimwell Torion of Red Bull Barako.

## 2003 PBA All-Filipino Cup
### Elimination round
#### Group A

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | San Miguel Beermen | 12 | 6 | .667 | — | Quarterfinal round |
| 2 | FedEx Express | 10 | 8 | .556 | 2 | Quarterfinal round |
| 3 | Alaska Aces | 9 | 9 | .500 | 3 | Quarterfinal round |
| 4 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 8 | 10 | .444 | 4 | Quarterfinal round |
| 5 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 5 | 13 | .278 | 7 | |

#### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Batang Red Bull Thunder | 14 | 4 | .778 | — | Quarterfinal round |
| 2 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 11 | 7 | .611 | 3 | Quarterfinal round |
| 3 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 10 | 8 | .556 | 4 | Quarterfinal round |
| 4 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 6 | 12 | .333 | 8 | Quarterfinal round |
| 5 | Shell Turbo Chargers | 5 | 13 | .278 | 9 | |

### Quarterfinal round
#### Group A

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Alaska Aces | 2 | 1 | .667 | — | Semifinals |
| 2 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 2 | 1 | .667 | — | Semifinals |
| 3 | San Miguel Beermen | 1 | 2 | .333 | 1 | |
| 4 | FedEx Express | 1 | 2 | .333 | 1 | |
* 1 2 Head-to-head record: Alaska 1–1 Sta. Lucia (Alaska +5)
* 1 2 Head-to-head record: FedEx 1–1 San Miguel (San Miguel +1)

#### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | — | Semifinals |
| 2 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 2 | 1 | .667 | 1 | Semifinals |
| 3 | Batang Red Bull Thunder | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2 | |
| 4 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 0 | 3 | .000 | 3 | |

### Playoffs

| Semifinals (Best-of-5) | Semifinals (Best-of-5) | Semifinals (Best-of-5) | Finals (Best-of-7) | Finals (Best-of-7) | Finals (Best-of-7) |
| A1 | Alaska | 2 | | | |
| B2 | Talk 'N Text | 3 | | | |
| B2 | Talk 'N Text | 3 | B2 | Talk 'N Text | 4 |
| | | | B1 | Coca-Cola | 2 |
| B1 | Coca-Cola | 3 | B1 | Coca-Cola | 2 |
| A2 | Sta. Lucia | 1 | Third-place playoff | Third-place playoff | Third-place playoff |
| | | | A1 | Alaska | 102 |
| | | | A2 | Sta. Lucia | 79 |

#### Semifinals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
| (A1) Alaska Aces | 3–1 | (B2) Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 109–115 (OT) | 86–77 | 74–87 | 87–86 (OT) | 88–92 |
| (B1) Coca-Cola Tigers | 3–1 | (A2) Sta. Lucia Realtors | 85–70 | 87–90 | 94–80 | 99–93 | — |

#### Third place playoff

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| (A1) Alaska Aces | 102–70 | (A2) Sta. Lucia Realtors |

#### Finals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Game 7 |
| (B1) Coca-Cola Tigers | 2–4 | (B2) Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 93–79 | 92–89 | 59–67 | 91–99 | 92–97 (OT) | 76–78 | — |

## 2003 PBA Invitational championship
### Qualification
#### PBA Philippine Cup

Combined standings from the 2002 PBA All-Filipino Cup:
* Top 5 teams qualify outright
* Bottom 5 teams proceed to last-chance qualifying Mabuhay Cup
| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Batang Red Bull Thunder | 14 | 4 | .778 | — | Qualify to Invitational tournament |
| 2 | San Miguel Beermen | 12 | 6 | .667 | 2 | Qualify to Invitational tournament |
| 3 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 11 | 7 | .611 | 3 | Qualify to Invitational tournament |
| 4 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 10 | 8 | .556 | 4 | Qualify to Invitational tournament |
| 5 | FedEx Express | 10 | 8 | .556 | 4 | Qualify to Invitational tournament |
| 6 | Alaska Aces | 9 | 9 | .500 | 5 | Proceed to Mabuhay Cup |
| 7 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 8 | 10 | .444 | 6 | Proceed to Mabuhay Cup |
| 8 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 6 | 12 | .333 | 8 | Proceed to Mabuhay Cup |
| 9 | Shell Turbo Chargers | 5 | 13 | .278 | 9 | Proceed to Mabuhay Cup |
| 10 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 5 | 13 | .278 | 9 | Proceed to Mabuhay Cup |

#### PBA-Samsung Mabuhay Cup

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Alaska Aces | 4 | 0 | 1.000 | — | Qualify to Invitational tournament |
| 2 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2 | |
| 3 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2 | |
| 4 | Shell Turbo Chargers | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2 | |
| 5 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 0 | 4 | .000 | 4 | |

### Elimination round
#### Group A

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | FedEx Express | 3 | 1 | .750 | — | Semifinals |
| 2 | Red Bull Barako | 3 | 1 | .750 | — | Semifinals |
| 3 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 3 | 1 | .750 | — | |
| 4 | KK Novi Sad (Yugoslavia) (G) | 1 | 3 | .250 | 2 | |
| 5 | Yonsei University (South Korea) (G) | 0 | 4 | .000 | 3 | |
* 1 2 3 Head-to-head quotient: FedEx 1.032, Red Bull 1.025, Talk 'N Text 0.949

#### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Alaska Aces | 4 | 0 | 1.000 | — | Semifinals |
| 2 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 3 | 1 | .750 | 1 | Semifinals |
| 3 | San Miguel Beermen | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2 | |
| 4 | Cebuana Lhuillier (Philippine national team) (G) | 1 | 3 | .250 | 3 | |
| 5 | Magnolia-Jilin (China) (G) | 0 | 4 | .000 | 4 | |

### Playoffs

| Semifinals (single elimination) | Semifinals (single elimination) | Semifinals (single elimination) | Finals (best-of-3) | Finals (best-of-3) | Finals (best-of-3) |
| A1 | FedEx | 83 | | | |
| B2 | Coca-Cola | 91 | | | |
| B2 | Coca-Cola | 91 | B2 | Coca-Cola | 1 |
| | | | B1 | Alaska | 2 |
| B1 | Alaska | 95 | B1 | Alaska | 2 |
| A2 | Red Bull | 87 | Third-place playoff | Third-place playoff | Third-place playoff |
| | | | A1 | FedEx | 99 |
| | | | A2 | Red Bull | 84 |
* view
* talk

### Finals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| (B1) Alaska Aces | 2–1 | (B2) Coca-Cola Tigers | 81–94 | 78–76 (OT) | 91–86 |

## 2003 PBA Reinforced Conference
### Elimination round
#### Group A

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 8 | 5 | .615 | — | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | FedEx Express | 5 | 8 | .385 | 3 | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | San Miguel Beermen | 5 | 8 | .385 | 3 | Quarterfinals |
| 4 | Alaska Aces | 4 | 9 | .308 | 4 | Quarterfinals |
| 5 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 4 | 9 | .308 | 4 | |
* 1 2 Fourth-seed playoff: Alaska 93–88 Purefoods

#### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Red Bull Barako | 11 | 2 | .846 | — | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 11 | 2 | .846 | — | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 7 | 6 | .538 | 4 | Quarterfinals |
| 4 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 7 | 6 | .538 | 4 | Quarterfinals |
| 5 | Shell Turbo Chargers | 3 | 10 | .231 | 8 | |

### Playoffs

| Quarterfinals (Best-of-3) | Quarterfinals (Best-of-3) | Quarterfinals (Best-of-3) | Semifinals (Best-of-5) | Semifinals (Best-of-5) | Semifinals (Best-of-5) | Finals (Best-of-7) | Finals (Best-of-7) | Finals (Best-of-7) |
| A1 | Sta. Lucia | 2 | | | | | | |
| A4 | Alaska | 1 | | | | | | |
| A4 | Alaska | 1 | A1 | Sta. Lucia | 0 | | | |
| | | | A3 | San Miguel | 3 | | | |
| A2 | FedEx | 0 | A3 | San Miguel | 3 | | | |
| A3 | San Miguel | 2 | | | | | | |
| A3 | San Miguel | 2 | | | | A3 | San Miguel | 3 |
| | | | | | | B2 | Coca-Cola | 4 |
| B1 | Red Bull | 1 | | | | | | | B2 | Coca-Cola | 4 |
| B4 | Talk 'N Text | 2 | | | |
| B4 | Talk 'N Text | 2 | B4 | Talk 'N Text | 0 | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | B2 | Coca-Cola | 3 |
| B2 | Coca-Cola | 2 | B2 | Coca-Cola | 3 | B4 | Talk 'N Text | 123 |
| B3 | Barangay Ginebra | 1 | | | | A1 | Sta. Lucia | 106 |
* view
* talk

#### Quarterfinals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| (A1) Sta. Lucia Realtors | 2–1 | (A4) Alaska Aces | 88–79 | 84–95 | 88–86 |
| (B1) Red Bull Barako | 1–2 | (B4) Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 116–120 | 99–80 | 81–95 |
| (A2) FedEx Express | 0–2 | (A3) San Miguel Beermen | 92–97 | 90–100 | — |
| (B2) Coca-Cola Tigers | 2–1 | (B3) Barangay Ginebra Kings | 94–104 | 85–77 | 92–86 |

#### Semifinals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
| (A1) Sta. Lucia Realtors | 0–3 | (A3) San Miguel Beermen | 88–109 | 86–101 | 96–110 | — | — |
| (B2) Coca-Cola Tigers | 3–0 | (B4) Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 86–73 | 109–105 | 101–81 | — | — |

#### Third place playoff

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| (A1) Sta. Lucia Realtors | 106–123 | (B4) Talk 'N Text Phone Pals |

#### Finals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Game 7 |
| (B2) Coca-Cola Tigers | 4–3 | (A3) San Miguel Beermen | 81–84 | 103–79 | 81–86 | 87–84 | 86–84 | 80–85 | 92–84 |

## Awards

* Most Valuable Player: Asi Taulava (Talk 'N Text)
* Rookie of the Year: Jimmy Alapag (Talk 'N Text)
* Sportsmanship Award: Patrick Fran
* Most Improved Player: Rafi Reavis (Coca-Cola)
* Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Hatfield (Coca-Cola)
* Mythical Five
** Asi Taulava (Talk 'N Text)
** Jimmy Alapag (Talk 'N Text)
** Jeffrey Cariaso (Coca-Cola)
** Rudy Hatfield (Coca-Cola)
** Dennis Espino (Sta. Lucia)
* Mythical Second Team
** Johnny Abarrientos (Coca-Cola)
** Harvey Carey (Talk 'N Text)
** Marlou Aquino (Sta. Lucia)
** John Arigo (Alaska)
** Don Allado (Alaska)
* All Defensive Team
** Asi Taulava (Talk 'N Text)
** Rudy Hatfield (Coca-Cola)
** Marlou Aquino (Sta. Lucia)
** Patrick Fran (Talk 'N Text)
** Willie Miller (Red Bull)
* Gawad Emerson Coseteng Lifetime Achievement Award: Leo Prieto

### Awards given by PBA Press Corps

* Coach of the Year: Chot Reyes (Coca-Cola)
* Mr. Quality Minutes: Renren Ritualo (Fedex)
* Referee of the Year: Ogie Bernarte
* Darling of the Media: Asi Taulava (Talk 'N Text)

## Cumulative standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Qualification |
| 1 | Batang Red Bull Thunder | 43 | 30 | 13 | .698 | Fourth place |
| 2 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 65 | 44 | 21 | .677 | Champions |
| 3 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 56 | 32 | 24 | .571 | Champions |
| 4 | Alaska Aces | 56 | 31 | 25 | .554 | Champions |
| 5 | San Miguel Beermen | 51 | 28 | 23 | .549 | Finalist |
| 6 | FedEx Express | 43 | 21 | 22 | .488 | Third place |
| 7 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 50 | 23 | 27 | .460 | Fourth place |
| 8 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 41 | 16 | 25 | .390 | Quarterfinalist |
| 9 | Shell Turbo Chargers | 35 | 10 | 25 | .286 | Elimination round |
| 10 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 36 | 9 | 27 | .250 | Elimination round |
| 11 | KK Novi Sad (G) | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 | Elimination round |
| 12 | Cebuana Lhuillier (G) | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 | Elimination round |
| 13 | Yonsei University (G) | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 | Elimination round |
| 14 | Magnolia-Jilin (G) | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 | Elimination round |

### Elimination round

* The Mabuhay Cup records are treated as if they're elimination round games.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT |
| 1 | Batang Red Bull Thunder | 35 | 28 | 7 | .800 |
| 2 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 35 | 25 | 10 | .714 |
| 3 | Alaska Aces | 39 | 21 | 18 | .538 |
| 4 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 35 | 20 | 15 | .571 |
| 5 | San Miguel Beermen | 35 | 19 | 16 | .543 |
| 6 | FedEx Express | 35 | 18 | 17 | .514 |
| 7 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 35 | 18 | 17 | .514 |
| 8 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 35 | 15 | 20 | .429 |
| 9 | Shell Turbo Chargers | 35 | 10 | 25 | .286 |
| 10 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 35 | 9 | 26 | .257 |
| 11 | KK Novi Sad (G) | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 |
| 12 | Cebuana Lhuillier (G) | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 |
| 13 | Yonsei University (G) | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 |
| 14 | Magnolia-Jilin (G) | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 |

### Playoffs

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L |
| 1 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 30 | 19 | 11 |
| 2 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 21 | 12 | 9 |
| 3 | Alaska Aces | 17 | 10 | 7 |
| 4 | San Miguel Beermen | 16 | 9 | 7 |
| 5 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 15 | 5 | 10 |
| 6 | FedEx Express | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| 7 | Batang Red Bull Thunder | 8 | 2 | 6 |
| 8 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| 9 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Shell Turbo Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | KK Novi Sad (G) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Cebuana Lhuillier (G) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Yonsei University (G) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Magnolia-Jilin (G) | 0 | 0 | 0 |