2001 PBA season

2001 PBA season
2001 PBA season
Duration	January 28, 2001 – December 16, 2001
Number of teams	10
TV partner(s)	Viva TV (IBC)
Draft
Top draft pick	Willie Miller
Picked by	Batang Red Bull Thunder
Conferences
All-Filipino Cup champions	San Miguel Beermen
Commissioner's Cup champions	Batang Red Bull Thunder
Governors Cup champions	Sta. Lucia Realtors
Awards
Season MVP	Danny Ildefonso
Seasons
< 2000 2002  >

The 2001 PBA season was the 27th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Notable occurrences

• During the pre-season, Tanduay made soundwaves in the PBA when they dangled Danny Ildefonso of corporate rival San Miguel Beermen a whopping 16-year, 96 million peso offersheet. The league though, nullified the said deal since it was believed that the offersheet violated the team's salary cap.^[1]
• There were three different champions in the season as San Miguel Beer figured in all three championships while Batang Red Bull and Sta.Lucia won their first-ever title.
• Danny Ildefonso of San Miguel became the third player to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for two straight seasons, Ildefonso also sets a record by sweeping the season's best player of the conference award, his unprecedented feat started in 2000 when he emerged as the award winner in the Commissioner's Cup and Governor's Cup, his BPC wins surpassed the three apiece won by Vergel Meneses and Alvin Patrimonio.
• Purefoods' Alvin Patrimonio became the first player to suit up for 500 straight games while Alaska import Sean Chambers hung up his number 20 jersey after 13 years in a highly emotional retirement ceremony.
• The corporate sale of Purefoods, including its PBA franchise, to San Miguel Corporation at the end of the year, was eventually approved by the Board of Governors, the Hotdogs became the third team under the San Miguel corporate umbrella.^[2]
• Paul Asi Taulava and Eric Menk, two fil-foreign players, returned to their respective ballclubs, Taulava reunited with the Phone Pals around mid-year while Menk suited up for Tanduay a little later.
• In a stunning move in late December, Tanduay shipped Eric Menk, Dondon Hontiveros, Bonel Balingit and Chris Cantonjos to other teams as a prelude to Tanduay's subsequent sale of its franchise to FedEx, the delivery firm, for P 75 million.^[3]

Opening ceremonies

The muses for the participating teams are as follows:

Team	Muse
Alaska Aces	Rica Peralejo
Batang Red Bull Thunder
Barangay Ginebra Kings	Geneva Cruz
Pop Cola Panthers	Ruffa Mae Quinto
Mobiline Phone Pals	Patricia Javier
Purefoods TJ Hotdogs
San Miguel Beermen
Shell Turbo Chargers
Sta. Lucia Realtors
Tanduay Rhum Masters

Champions

• All-Filipino Cup: San Miguel Beermen
• Commissioner's Cup: Batang Red Bull Thunder
• Governor's Cup: Sta. Lucia Realtors
• Team with best win-loss percentage: San Miguel Beermen (43-27, .614)
• Best Team of the Year: San Miguel Beermen (7th)

Individual awards

• Most Valuable Player: Danny Ildefonso (San Miguel)
• Rookie of the Year: Mark Caguioa (Barangay Ginebra)
• Sportsmanship Award: Rey Evangelista (Purefoods)
• Most Improved Player: Noy Castillo (Purefoods)
• Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Jackson (Shell)
• Mythical Five
  • Danny Ildefonso (San Miguel)
  • Danny Seigle (San Miguel)
  • Olsen Racela (San Miguel)
  • Dennis Espino (Sta. Lucia)
  • Ali Peek (Alaska)
• Mythical Second Team
  • Noy Castillo (Purefoods)
  • Kenneth Duremdes (Alaska)
  • Nic Belasco (San Miguel)
  • Rudy Hatfield (Pop Cola)
  • Davonn Harp (Red Bull)
• All Defensive Team
  • Chris Jackson (Shell)
  • Dennis Espino (Sta. Lucia)
  • Marlou Aquino (Sta. Lucia)
  • Rey Evangelista (Purefoods)
  • Patrick Fran (Mobiline/Talk 'N Text)

Awards given by the PBA Press Corps

• Coach of the Year: Yeng Guiao (Red Bull)
• Mr. Quality Minutes: Mark Caguioa (Barangay Ginebra)
• Executive of the Year: Sonny Barios (PBA executive director)
• Referee of the Year: Ernie de Leon

Cumulative standings

	Champion
	Runner-up
	Semifinalist
	Quarterfinalist
	Eliminations

Team	GP	W	L	PCT	Best finish
San Miguel Beermen	70	43	27	.614	Champion
Batang Red Bull Thunder	51	28	23	.549	Champion
Sta. Lucia Realtors	49	25	24	.510	Champion
Alaska Aces	46	23	23	.500	Semifinalist
Shell Turbo Chargers	51	25	26	.490	Semifinalist
Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs	45	22	23	.489	Semifinalist
Barangay Ginebra Kings	52	25	27	.480	Runner-up
Pop Cola Panthers	51	24	27	.470	Semifinalist
Mobiline / Talk 'N Text Phone Pals	41	18	23	.433	Quarterfinalist
Tanduay Rhum Masters	38	14	24	.368	Quarterfinalist

References

1. Ildefonso deals floors PBA, Philippine Daily Inquirer
2. Pop transfer raises SMB teams to four, Philippine Daily Inquirer
3. FedEx not paying fines of Tanduay, Philippine Daily Inquirer

External links

• pba.inquirer.net