2002–03 Philippine Basketball League season

The 2002–03 season of the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

2002–03 PBL season
DurationNovember 4, 2002 – June 19, 2003
Number of teams9
TV partner(s)Solar Sports (NBN)
Season MVPRommel Adducul
Gary David
Challenge Cup championsWelcoat Paints
  Challenge Cup runners-upDazz
Sunkist-Unity Cup championsHapee Toothpaste
  Sunkist-Unity Cup runners-upViva Mineral Water

2002-03 Challenge Cup

Team standings

Group AWinLossCoach
Welcoat Paints92Leo Austria
Dazz Dishwashing74Junel Baculi
Blu Detergent74Leo Isaac
LBC-Batangas74Nash Racela
Group BWinLossCoach
ICTSI-La Salle84Franz Pumaren
Montaña Jewels66Ronnie Dojillo
John-O57Dong Vergeire
Cheeseballs-Shark39Jing Ruiz / Philip Cezar
Sunkist-Pampanga210Boyzie Zamar

Welcoat Paintmasters is the top team in the eliminations and will enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage against the fourth finisher in the crossover semis. Welcoat will meet the winner of ICTSI and LBC-Batangas. Blu Detergent and Dazz finished with identical 7-4 won-loss cards and will play in the other crossover semis.[1]

Crossover semifinals

January 13
ICTSI-La Salle 79, LBC-Batangas 39
January 13
Dazz 85, Blu Detergent 83 (OT)
January 16
LBC-Batangas 91, ICTSI-La Salle 84
January 18
Welcoat Paints 84, LBC-Batangas 65
January 18
Dazz 73, Blu Detergent 65

Welcoat and Dazz had a twice-to-beat advantage against the two other semifinalist and they made it to the championship round.[2]

Finals

January 25
Welcoat Paints 65, Dazz 63
La Salle Centrum, Lipa City
January 27
Welcoat Paints 80, Dazz 71 (OT)
Welcoat wins series, 3-0

Comebacking Welcoat Paintmasters completed a three-game sweep over Dazz. Coach Leo Austria now won three PBL titles, two of which came when he was a Shark Energy Drink mentor. The Welcoat franchise won their fifth PBL championship, and all their series victories were via sweeps.[3]

Individual awards

2003 Sunkist-Unity Cup

Semifinal standingsWinLossPCT
Hapee Toothpaste51.833
Viva Mineral Water42.667
Montaña Jewels33.500
John-O06.000

Two new teams joined the league, replacing Cheeseballs-Shark and Sunkist-Pampanga, these are Viva Mineral Water, coach by Koy Banal, and Nutrilicious, handled by Monel Kallos.

Hapee (formerly Dazz) and Viva Mineral Water advances to the championship after the double-round semifinals among the top four teams in the eliminations.[4]

Finals

June 7
Hapee Toothpaste 57, Viva Mineral Water 64
June 10
Hapee Toothpaste 52, Viva Mineral Water 43
June 14
Hapee Toothpaste 56, Viva Mineral Water 58
June 17
Hapee Toothpaste 80, Viva Mineral Water 65
June 19
Hapee Toothpaste 64, Viva Mineral Water 62
Hapee wins series, 3-2

Hapee Toothpaste won their first title since the 1996 Reinforced Conference, denying Viva Mineral Water a championship in their very first try. Hapee mentor Junel Baculi won his sixth title as a coach.[5]

References

  1. "Archers test Blades; Blu confronts Dazz". Philippine Daily Inquirer - Google News Archive.
  2. "Welcoat faces Dazz in finals". Philippine Daily Inquirer - Google News Archive.
  3. "Welcoat completes sweep". Philippine Daily Inquirer - Google News Archive.
  4. "Hapee, Viva triumph, seal PBL Cup title showdown". Philippine Daily Inquirer - Google News Archive.
  5. "Hapee cops crown". Philippine Daily Inquirer - Google News Archive.
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