The 1997 PBA season was the 23rd season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
Board of governors
Executive committee Emilio P. Bernardino, Jr. (Commissioner) Nazario L. Avendaño (Chairman, representing San Miguel Beermen) Bernabe L. Navarro, Jr. (Vice-Chairman, representing Gordon's Gin Boars) Reynaldo G. Gamboa (Treasurer, representing Formula Shell Zoommasters)
Teams Team Company Governor Alternate Governor Alaska Milkmen Alaska Milk Corporation Wilfred Steven Uytengsu Joaquin Trillo Formula Shell Zoommasters Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation Reynaldo Gamboa Eliseo Santiago Gordon's Gin Boars La Tondeña Distillers, Inc. Bernabe Navarro, Jr. Roberto Eduardo Mobiline Phone Pals Lapanday Holdings Corporation Luis F. Lorenzo Ignatius F. Yenko Pop Cola 800s RFM Corporation Elmer Yanga Atty. Aurora Timbol Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs Purefoods Corporation Teodoro Dimayuga Eliezer Capacio San Miguel Beermen San Miguel Corporation Nazario Avendaño Sta. Lucia Realtors Sta. Lucia Realty and Development Corporation Manuel Encarnado Vicente R. Santos
Season highlights For the first time in league history, the top two picks of the Annual Rookie draft were born outside the Philippines, 6–9 Andrew John Seigle, and Nic Belasco were selected at numbers one and two, respectively.Seigle going up against PBA giantsPop Cola's Fil-Am recruit also fails to impress in tuneup game Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys and Gordon's Gin Boars (formerly Ginebra) played in the All-Filipino Cup finals. This is only the second time the two rivals meet in a championship series. Gordon's playing coach Sonny Jaworski became the oldest player to play in a PBA finals series at age 51. Purefoods rookie coach Eric Altamirano won his first title as a head mentor. Gordon's Gin Boars ended a six-year title drought for the La Tondeña franchise by winning the Commissioner's Cup title over defending champion Alaska Milkmen. The Alaska Milkmen retains the Governors' Cup title for the fourth straight time and defend the only crown left in their grandslam conquest last season. Alaska has overtaken the defunct Presto franchise as the fourth winningest ballclub in the PBA. Alvin Patrimonio won his fourth MVP award, tying Ramon Fernandez for the most number of MVP awards.
Opening ceremonies The muses for the participating teams are as follows:
Team Muse Alaska Milkmen Carmela Lastimosa & Sha Sha Hawkins Formula Shell Zoom Masters Teresa Herrera Gordon's Gin Boars Ruffa Mae Quinto Mobiline Cellulars Joey Mead Pop Cola Bottlers Gill Baltazar Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys Ciara Sotto San Miguel Beermen Leng Damiles Sta. Lucia Realtors Sherilyn Reyes
Champions All-Filipino Cup: Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys Commissioner's Cup: Gordon's Gin Boars Governor's Cup: Alaska Milkmen Team with best win–loss percentage: Alaska Milkmen (35–25, .583) Best Team of the Year: Alaska Milkmen (2nd)
All-Filipino Cup
Elimination round
Semifinal round
Third place playoff
Finals
Finals MVP: Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods) Best Player of the Conference: Nelson Asaytono (San Miguel)
Commissioner's Cup
Elimination round
Semifinal round
Third place playoff
Finals
Finals MVP: Marlou Aquino (Gordon's Gin) Best Player of the Conference: Kenneth Duremdes (Alaska) Best Import of the Conference: Jeff Ward (San Miguel)
Governors' Cup
Elimination round
Playoffs
Quarterfinals
|}*Team has twice-to-beat advantage. Team 1 only has to win once, while Team 2 has to win twice.
Semifinals
Third place playoff
Finals
Finals MVP: Johnny Abarrientos (Alaska) Best Player of the Conference: Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods) Best Import of the Conference: Larry Robinson (San Miguel)
Individual awards Most Valuable Player: Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods) Rookie of the Year: Andy Seigle (Mobiline) Sportsmanship Award: Freddie Abuda (San Miguel) Most Improved Player: Bong Ravena (Purefoods) Defensive Player of the Year: Freddie Abuda (San Miguel) Mythical Five: Johnny Abarrientos (Alaska) Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods) Marlou Aquino (Gordon's Gin) Vince Hizon (Gordon's Gin) Nelson Asaytono (San Miguel) Mythical Second Team: Noli Locsin (Gordon's Gin) Dindo Pumaren (Purefoods) Bong Ravena (Purefoods) Jun Limpot (Sta. Lucia) Jerry Codiñera (Purefoods) All Defensive Team: Jerry Codiñera (Purefoods) Freddie Abuda (San Miguel) Johnny Abarrientos (Alaska) Jeffrey Cariaso (Mobiline) Marlou Aquino (Gordon's Gin)
Awards given by the PBA Press Corps Coach of the Year: Ron Jacobs (San Miguel) Mr. Quality Minutes: Paul Alvarez (San Miguel) Executive of the Year: Simon Mossesgeld (Purefoods) Comeback Player of the Year: Paul Alvarez (San Miguel) Referee of the Year: Ernesto de Leon
Cumulative standings
Elimination round
Playoffs
References