2018 PBA Commissioner's Cup finals

2018 PBA Commissioner's Cup finals

Team Coach Wins (5) Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Tim Cone 4 (6) San Miguel Beermen Leo Austria 2
Dates	July 27 – August 8, 2018
MVP	Scottie Thompson (Barangay Ginebra San Miguel)
Television	Local: ESPN5 The 5 Network PBA Rush (HD) International: AksyonTV International
Announcers	see Broadcast notes
Radio network	Radyo5 (DWFM)
Announcers	see Broadcast notes
Referees
Game 1: N. Quilinguen, N. Guevarra, S. Pineda, J. Narandan Game 2: P. Balao, J. Mariano, R. Yante, M. Montoya Game 3: N. Quilinguen, S. Pineda, E. Tangkion, J. Narandan Game 4: N. Quilinguen, N. Guevarra, J. Mariano, J. Narandan Game 5: P. Balao, S. Pineda, M. Montoya, J. Narandan Game 6: N. Quilinguen, J. Mariano, R. Gruta, R. Yante
PBA Commissioner's Cup finals chronology
< 2017 2019 >
PBA finals chronology
< 2017–18 Philippine 2018 Governors' >

The 2018 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner's Cup finals was the best-of-7 championship series of the 2018 PBA Commissioner's Cup and the conclusion of the conference's playoffs. The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and the San Miguel Beermen competed for the 18th Commissioner's Cup championship and the 123rd overall championship contested by the league.

This was the sixth finals match-up between the two teams, with the Beermen winning four of the first five series. They last met during the 2016–17 Philippine Cup finals which the Beermen won, 4–1. Barangay Ginebra's sole series win came during the 2007 Philippine Cup finals.^[1]

The series highlighted the match-up between former PBA Best Player of the Conference (2017 Governors') and 4-time All-Star Greg Slaughter and 4-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, arguably two of the best centers in recent PBA history,^[2][3] who last faced each other in a finals series during their college days in CESAFI in 2009, which Slaughter's University of Visayas won.^[4][5] The series also featured the match-up between the PBA Best Import of the Conference award front-runners Justin Brownlee and Renaldo Balkman,^[6] who won a title as teammates with the San Miguel Alab Pilipinas of the ABL three months back.^[7][8]

Barangay Ginebra won the series in six games to win their first Commissioner's Cup title since 1997. This also marked San Miguel's only Finals loss under head coach Leo Austria.^[9] Scottie Thompson was named the Finals MVP.

This was Barangay Ginebra's fourth Commissioner's Cup finals and 25th overall. They last appeared in a Comm's Cup finals in 2013, with their last Commissioner's Cup title coming in 1997.^[10]

This was the Beermen's 40th finals appearance,^[11] who won all of their six previous finals in the last ten conferences.^[12] This was their sixth Commissioner's Cup finals appearance, and was the defending champion entering the series having won the previous year's series.^[13]

Entering the game, Barangay Ginebra won 10 of their last 11 games and had the momentum to start strong in the series.^[14] They got into a fast start, leading by 15 in the first quarter and 19 after the half. Import Justin Brownlee was red-hot, having scored 29 points at halftime, with 18 coming in the first period.^[15] The Beemen tried to stage a comeback in the second half and was trailing by 19 after three quarters. However, Barangay Ginebra started the last period with a 25–5 run for a 39-point advantage, 119–80, the largest of the game. They never looked backed and dealt the Beermen their worst loss of the conference.^[16] Chris Ross tweaked his ankle in the fourth quarter and had to head to the locker room. After the game, he confirmed that he will be able to play in Game 2.

Brownlee led the Gin Kings with 42 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists on 17-for-19 shooting and had support from the locals, with 4 other players scoring in double figures led by Joe Devance who had 22 points. For the Beermen, import Renaldo Balkman scored 27 points and top rookie Christian Standhardinger added 26, with four-time MVP June Mar Fajardo registering a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.^[17]

Ginebra shot 62 percent from the field and shot 13-for-25 from the arc. San Miguel only shot 39% and was 7-for-29 from 3. Ginebra also registered 37 assists. During the third quarter, Devance scored his 500th 3-point field goal made. He was the 41st PBA player and 19th among active players to reach that milestone.^[18]

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel roster

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Players	Coaches
Pos. # POB Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From G/F 1 Julian Sargent (R) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 202 lb (92 kg) –07–15 De La Salle G 2 Jett Manuel (R) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 1992–09–22 Philippines G 3 Sol Mercado 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1984–05–06 Biola G 5 LA Tenorio 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) 151 lb (68 kg) 1984–07–09 Ateneo G 6 Scottie Thompson 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1993–07–12 UPHSD C 12 Prince Caperal 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1993–06–12 Arellano F 14 Kevin Ferrer 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 188 lb (85 kg) 1993–03–26 UST G/F 16 Jeff Chan 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1983–02–11 Far Eastern C 20 Greg Slaughter 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 258 lb (117 kg) 1988–05–19 Ateneo F 21 Arthur dela Cruz  6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1992–05–09 San Beda F/C 23 Raymond Aguilar 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1985–07–27 National-U F/C 25 Japeth Aguilar 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1987–01–25 Western Kentucky F 27 Jervy Cruz 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1986–09–09 UST F 31 Aljon Mariano 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1992–08–03 UST F 32 Justin Brownlee (I) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1988–04–23 St. John's F 38 Joe Devance 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1982–02–19 UTEP G 47 Mark Caguioa (C) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1979–11–19 Glendale CC (CA)	Head coach Tim Cone Assistant coach(es) Richard del Rosario (1st Assistant) Olsen Racela Freddie Abuda Team manager Alfrancis Chua[a] Raymond Rodriguez (Assistant) Legend (C) Team captain (CI) Commissioner's Cup Import (GI) Governors' Cup Import (EI) EASL Import (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (IN) Inactive (S) Suspended (R) Rookie Injured Roster

• ^a Chua also serves as Barangay Ginebra's board governor.

San Miguel Beermen roster

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Players	Coaches
Pos. # POB Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From G 1 Brian Heruela 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1989–04–13 Cebu F/C 2 Billy Mamaril 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1980–06–25 Bakersfield G/F 3 Von Pessumal 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1993–02–12 Ateneo G 5 Alex Cabagnot 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1982–12–08 Hawaiʻi–Hilo G 6 Chris Ross 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1985–03–09 Marshall G/F 13 Marcio Lassiter 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1987–05–16 Cal State Fullerton C 15 June Mar Fajardo 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 268 lb (122 kg) 1989–11–17 Cebu G/F 18 Louie Vigil (R) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 1991–09–26 UST G/F 22 Matt Ganuelas-Rosser 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 186 lb (84 kg) 1990–06–13 Cal Poly Pomona G/F 23 Keith Agovida 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1990–02–14 Arellano G 26 Chico Lanete 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1979–08–01 Lyceum F 29 Arwind Santos (C) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1981–06–10 Far Eastern F/C 30 Kelly Nabong 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 227 lb (103 kg) 1988–11–17 SRJC F 32 Renaldo Balkman (I) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1984–07–14 South Carolina F 33 David Semerad  6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1991–04–25 San Beda F/C 34 Christian Standhardinger (R) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1989–07–04 Hawaiʻi C 95 Yancy de Ocampo 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1980–03–11 Saint Francis of Assisi	Head coach Leo Austria Assistant coach(es) Peter Martin (1st Assistant) Biboy Ravanes Dayong Mendoza Boyzie Zamar Ato Agustin Jorge Gallent Team manager Gelacio Abanilla Daniel Henares (Assistant) Legend (C) Team captain (CI) Commissioner's Cup Import (GI) Governors' Cup Import (EI) EASL Import (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (IN) Inactive (S) Suspended (R) Rookie Injured Roster

The 2018 Commissioner's Cup finals was on TV5 with simulcasts on PBA Rush (both in standard and high definition). TV5's radio arm, Radyo5 provided the radio play-by-play coverage.

ESPN5 provided online livestreaming via their official YouTube account using the TV5 feed.

The PBA Rush broadcast provided English-language coverage of the finals.

• Additional Game 6 crew:
  • Trophy presentation: James Velasquez
  • Dugout celebration interviewer: Apple David

• PBA official website