Reliving the Epic 1997 PBA Finals: A Complete Game-by-Game Breakdown

I still get chills thinking about the 1997 PBA Finals—that legendary showdown between Alaska and Gordon's Gin. Having followed Philippine basketball for decades, I can confidently say this series remains the gold standard for championship intensity. What made it particularly fascinating was how both teams had to constantly adapt their strategies, much like what Coach Tim Cone recently observed about international competitions. He noted how teams must solve defensive puzzles when opponents shoot well from the three-point line, and that exact challenge played out dramatically throughout this historic finals series.

Game 1 set the tone perfectly. Alaska came out with what I'd call controlled aggression, winning 73-68 in what felt like a tactical chess match. The numbers tell part of the story—Alaska's defense held Gordon's Gin to just 36% shooting from the field—but what the stats don't show is the electric atmosphere at the Araneta Coliseum that night. I remember watching from the upper box section, feeling the entire stadium vibrate with every possession. Johnny Abarrientos was absolutely magical, dishing out 8 assists while playing suffocating defense. His performance reminded me why they called him "The Flying A"—he seemed to be everywhere at once.

Then came Game 2, where Gordon's Gin responded with what I consider one of the most impressive bounce-back performances in PBA history. They won 85-78 behind Vergel Meneses' 24-point explosion. Watching Meneses that night was like witnessing an artist at work—his mid-range jumpers were pure poetry. What struck me most was how Gordon's Gin adjusted their three-point defense after Cone's comments about solving perimeter challenges. They held Alaska to just 4-of-15 from beyond the arc, proving that championship teams must adapt quickly.

The series shifted dramatically in Game 3 when Alaska's Kenneth Duremdes put on what I believe was the single greatest individual performance of his career. His 31 points came with such efficiency—12-of-18 shooting—that you couldn't help but stand in appreciation. Alaska took this one 91-84, and I distinctly remember the Alaska crowd chanting "MVP! MVP!" throughout the fourth quarter. Having watched Duremdes develop over the years, this felt like his true arrival as a superstar.

Game 4 provided what many fans, including myself, consider the turning point of the series. Gordon's Gin evened things up with an 88-82 victory that featured incredible bench production. Their reserves outscored Alaska's 35-18, with Noli Locsin contributing 14 points that felt like 40 given their importance. This was where I noticed Gordon's Gin implementing exactly what Cone described—they solved Alaska's three-point shooting by holding them to 28% from deep while shooting 42% themselves from beyond the arc.

What made Game 5 so memorable for me was the sheer will to win displayed by both teams. Alaska edged out an 81-79 thriller that came down to the final possession. The numbers show Jojo Lastimosa scored 22 points, but they don't capture how he took over in crunch time. With 1:14 remaining and Alaska down by one, Lastimosa hit what I consider the shot of the series—a contested fadeaway that silenced the Gordon's Gin crowd. This game perfectly illustrated Cone's point about solving perimeter defense, as both teams combined for just 9 three-pointers total, showing how adjustments had tightened the defensive screws.

Game 6 delivered the championship clincher, with Alaska winning 86-77 in what felt like a coronation. Their ball movement was exquisite—recording 24 team assists compared to Gordon's Gin's 16. Having rewatched this game multiple times, what stands out is how Alaska solved the three-point shooting dilemma Cone mentioned. They limited Gordon's Gin to 5-of-18 from deep while hitting 7 three-pointers themselves. The celebration that followed remains etched in my memory—confetti raining down as the Alaska players hoisted the trophy, their exhaustion mixed with pure elation.

Looking back at the complete series, Alaska's victory margin averaged just 5.2 points across their four wins, demonstrating how closely matched these teams were. The three-point shooting statistics tell a compelling story—Gordon's Gin shot 38% from beyond the arc in their two wins but only 31% in their four losses. This perfectly aligns with Cone's insight about solving perimeter defense being crucial. Personally, I believe this series represented Philippine basketball at its absolute best—the skill, the drama, the adjustments, everything coming together to create something truly epic.

What continues to fascinate me about the 1997 PBA Finals is how it demonstrated the evolution of basketball strategy in the Philippines. The way both teams constantly adjusted their three-point defense and offense throughout the series predated the analytical approach that dominates modern basketball. Having followed Cone's career closely, I can see how experiences like this 1997 series informed his later coaching philosophy. The numbers might show Alaska winning 4-2, but the real story was how both teams embodied the problem-solving mentality that Cone would later articulate so perfectly. Even today, when I watch teams struggle with perimeter defense, my mind immediately flashes back to those six incredible games in 1997 that taught us all what championship basketball truly looks like.