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Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
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Key Information

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). It is owned by Ginebra San Miguel, Inc. (formerly, La Tondeña Distillers, Inc.), a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation (SMC), and is one of three PBA teams owned by SMC, along with the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots and the San Miguel Beermen. Regarded as the most popular team in the PBA,[1][2][3] they are best known for their resilience and large fan following, as well as for their "Never Say Die" spirit. Barangay Ginebra has won 15 PBA championships, the second most overall behind the San Miguel Beermen.

La Tondeña, Inc. (renamed, La Tondeña Distillers, Inc., after SMC acquired majority control in 1987) joined the PBA in 1979 as an expansion team. After some rough times during their first few seasons, their fortunes changed when veterans Robert Jaworski and Francis Arnaiz arrived in 1984, following the disbandment of the famed Toyota Tamaraws. With new players like Jaworski being veterans of the game from ages 30–35, Jaworski would also be given the role as head coach of the young Ginebra team. As player-coach, Jaworski steered the franchise to four PBA titles between 1986 and 1997. After the retirement of Coach Jaworski at the age of 52, Jong Uichico, Siot Tanquingcen and Tim Cone would be coaching the players led by the legendary "Fast and The Furious", MVPs Jayjay Helterbrand and Mark Caguioa.

History

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1979–1983: Gilbey's Gin/St. George Whiskies/Gilbey's Gin Gimlets

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Joining the league in 1979, the team was known as Gilbey's Gin of then-owner and team founder Carlos G. Palanca, Jr.'s La Tondeña, Inc. franchise. Its first head coach was Pilo Pumaren and was bannered by MICAA standout Willie Tanduyan and imports Larry McNeill and Dean Tolson. Gilbey's managed to place fourth in the 1979 Invitational tournament.

In the 1980 season, Nemie Villegas took over as head coach. Willie Generalao won the Rookie of the Year honors during the 1980 season as Gilbey's placed fourth in the All-Filipino tournament.

The franchise played under the name St. George Whiskies during the 1981 Reinforced Filipino conference.

In 1982, playing again as Gilbey's Gin under new coach Arturo Valenzona, the Gins made its first finals appearance during the Open Conference. But they were swept by Toyota of coach Ed Ocampo, Robert Jaworski, and Ramon Fernandez.

Gilbey's made another finals appearance in the 1983 All-Filipino but were also swept by the Crispa Redmanizers in the first of three titles won by the Redmanizers.

1984–1998: The Jaworski era

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1984: Gilbey's Gin Tonics

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Before the 1984 season, Toyota announced its departure from the league after winning nine titles in nine seasons. As part of an agreement with new team Beer Hausen, the rights of the Toyota players were acquired by Beer Hausen. The team, owned by Lucio Tan, was entering its first year in the PBA. Jaworski, Francis Arnaiz, Arnie Tuadles and Chito Loyzaga refused to join Beer Hausen. The internal feud between Jaworski and Fernandez, which had been simmering for several years, became public. With this development, Gilbey's accepted Jaworski and Arnaiz; Tuadles and Loyzaga joined Great Taste; while the rest of the Toyota players, led by Fernandez, joined Beer Hausen. Jaworski and Arnaiz turned the moribund franchise into a competitive team almost overnight when in the first conference of the 1984 season, the All-Filipino Conference, they led the team to the finals against Crispa.

1985–1988: Ginebra San Miguel and the birth of "Never-Say-Die"

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By 1985, Gilbey's was renamed as Ginebra San Miguel. However, the team failed to enter the finals in each of the three conferences, showing only a strong finish in the Reinforced Conference. On October 22, 1985, in a game against Northern Cement (NCC), Jaworski was hit by an elbow from Jeff Moore late in the second quarter. He had to be brought to nearby Medical City's emergency room to get stitches on his lips. During the third quarter, NCC was leading when Jaworski returned to the bench.

The biggest manifestation was when, Jaworski came back from the nearby Medical City with seven stitches in his lip to lead the Gins to a come-from-behind victory against NCC. Jaworski incurred this from a wayward elbow inflicted by Jeff Moore in the second quarter. But with them behind by 15 points going into the final seven minutes of the game, Jaworski re-entered the court and sparked a frenzy that to date, has yet been matched. The NCC team simply froze upon the sight of the Big J and didn't know what hit them, eventually losing to the Gins.[4]

Michael Hackett also saw his name in the PBA record books by scoring 103 points in Ginebra's 197–168 victory against Great Taste on November 21, 1985. This was later broken by Swift's Tony Harris in a 1992 game in Iloilo City ironically against Ginebra with 105 points.[5]

Former Crispa import Billy Ray Bates was brought in for the 1986 Open Conference. Each PBA team was allowed to get two imports for the said conference. Bates' other partner was Michael Hackett, who was the 1985 Open Conference Best Import. It is believed that the pair was the greatest import tandem in PBA history. The two led the team in the finals of the tournament against Manila Beer (formerly Beer Hausen), with Abet Guidaben and imports Michael Young and Harold Keeling. Bates and Hackett powered Ginebra to a 4–1 win in the series to win the 1986 PBA Open Conference and give the team its first-ever championship.

Arnaiz suddenly left for the United States due to injury, but was still part of the line-up, before the team won its first championship, ending his 11-year career and tandem with Jaworski. He retired shortly afterwards the 1986 season.

1988–1990: Añejo Rum 65

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In 1988, the team changed its name to Añejo Rum 65. The 65ers won the 1988 PBA All-Filipino Conference, their first All-Filipino championship and second overall title. They entered the finals via a classic playoff game vs. San Miguel. Joey Loyzaga made a perfect pass to Romulo Mamaril and made the game winning basket. Añejo took on new team Purefoods in the finals. Añejo won the series 3–1 over the young Purefoods team led by Jerry Codiñera, Alvin Patrimonio, and Jojo Lastimosa (who had a confrontation with Jaworski). During this time, Fernandez was benched by Purefoods for alleged game-fixing. In the final game, three 65ers scored 25 points or more – Joey Loyzaga, Dondon Ampalayo, and Sonny Jaworski – as the 65ers did not allow the then rookie-laden Purefoods team to gain confidence. The game was close all throughout until the final 3 minutes of the game when Loyzaga and Jaworski uncorked 3-pointers that iced the win. This team is known as the best All-Filipino underdog team ever to grabbed the All-Filipino Cup. [1] Archived September 18, 2016, at the Wayback Machine

Añejo also clinched the 1988 PBA/IBA World Challenge Cup with Bobby Parks as their import by beating international teams and beating Alaska Air Force in the lone final game. In the season-ending Reinforced Conference wherein teams were allowed two imports each, Añejo again hired the great Billy Ray Bates and paired him with Kevin Gamble. After only four games, Bates was sent home for good. The 65er would finish the season with the exciting and high-scoring duo of Joe Ward and Tommy Davis as imports.

On the next season, Añejo lost in five games to grand slam winning San Miguel Beermen in the Reinforced Conference. In that conference, the 65ers paraded another super import in Carlos Briggs, who easily won the Best Import Award. In 1990, Añejo entered the finals of the First Conference against Benjie Paras and the Shell Rimula X team. In Game Six, with Shell already leading the series 3–2, Añejo protested a foul on Rey Cuenco with a few minutes left in the second quarter. This led to the infamous walk out of Añejo. The team also complained about the unfavorable officiating as the team had more fouls than Shell. In the end, the game was forfeited and awarded the title to the Oilers. The result of this event gave the team a fine of more than 500,000 PHP which was then the highest fine in league history.

1991–1996: Ginebra San Miguel/Tondeña Rhum 65

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In 1991, Añejo reverted to playing as Ginebra San Miguel. They met Shell again in the finals of the 1991 PBA First Conference. The Oilers goes up 3–1 in the series, needing only a win to clinch the series,but Shell blew a 3–1 lead as Ginebra managed a furious comeback to force a seventh game. In the final seconds of Game 7, an off-balanced shot by Rudy Distrito with a second remaining sealed Ginebra's third PBA title and completed the greatest comeback in PBA history.

Ginebra placed third in the 1992 Reinforced Conference. But at that time, the team was starting to fade.

In the 1993 pre-season, the Gins were given the second overall pick in the 1993 PBA draft behind new team Sta. Lucia Realty which replaced Presto. They drafted former FEU power forward Victor Pablo but immediately traded him to 7-Up for veterans Manny Victorino and Alejo Alolor. The said trade was lambasted by most fans, and it cost Ginebra their performance for the year where they compiled a 9–26 record in all three conferences. This horrible performance gave them the top pick in the next draft.

In 1994, in an effort to change their fortunes, the team was renamed Tondeña Rhum 65. The team selected Noli Locsin with their first pick, and was hoped to make team better. But Tondeña's struggles continued, winning just 12 of the 32 games that year.

In 1995, the team reverted again to Ginebra San Miguel. They selected 7′0″ center E.J. Feihl and also drafted Jaworski's son, Robert Jr. The drafting of Feihl surprised people. They were expecting Ginebra to either draft Kenneth Duremdes or Jeffrey Cariaso at that time. Jaworski later quoted, "It's not everyday that you see a 7-footer applying for the draft." Unfortunately, misfortunes still struck the team as Ginebra won only 5 of the 30 games played that year, capped by a 0–10 win–loss record during the Governors' Cup. The worst season triggered rumors that the Gins was disbanding. But the rumor was quickly killed off after the team posted a printed advertisement in major newspapers that they were staying in the PBA. Ginebra got the top pick again in the next draft. This was the last time a PBA team with the worst record was awarded the top pick in the draft. In the succeeding drafts, the worst PBA team had to compete with the second worst team via lottery to determine the top pick in the draft.

In 1996, the team used the top overall pick to draft controversial center Marlou Aquino from Adamson University. Aquino was a big star in the PBL for Nikon Home Appliances and Stag Pale Pilsen but was involved in a controversial scandal in terms of his academic status at Adamson, although this was later neglected when he jumped pro. Aquino showed the promise the fans of the team expected during the All-Filipino Conference. It also showed the discovery of former University of Santo Tomas guard Bal David as one of the team's popular players along with Vince Hizon, Jayvee Gayoso, and Pido Jarencio.

In the Commissioner's Cup, the team paraded NBA veteran Henry James as the team wound up in an elimination game against Formula Shell. But Kenny Redfield's buzzer-beating three enabled Shell to enter the finals. Ginebra finally entered the finals of the Governors' Cup but lost to the grand slam winning Alaska Milkmen in five games. Aquino's impact gave the team a 30-game improvement from a year ago and was named as the Rookie of the Year.

1997–1998: Gordon's Gin Boars

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In 1997, the team was renamed Gordon's Gin Boars. One of the most memorable shots in team history was Bal David's final second heave from half-court to defeat San Miguel Beer by two points. Gordon's Gin entered the finals of the All-Filipino against Purefoods Corned Beef. Purefoods managed to take a 3–1 series lead. In Game Five, they were about to score a winning basket after a Gordon's turnover. But Vince Hizon blocked Dindo Pumaren's layup, as the Boars lived another day. Unfortunately, in Game Six, the strong performance of Alvin Patrimonio and company denied Gordon's a title losing the series 4–2. The loss marked Jaworski's (player-coach) last game with the La Tondeña franchise and did not enter himself in a game since.

In the Commissioner's Cup, NBA veteran Chris King became a replacement in time for the semis of the tournament. Gordon's met sister-team San Miguel in an elimination semifinal match. It was a true classic game that went to double overtime. The Boars were down by five in the dying seconds of regulation then came back to tie the game and win it double overtime period. The Boars won, 106–100, in what is considered their longest playoff game to clinch the second finals berth. In the finals, Gordon's Gin eventually defeated Alaska in six games for the 1997 PBA Commissioner's Cup trophy, their first title in six years. This was their 4th over-all title and the last under Jaworski. Aquino was named Finals MVP. During this time, Jaworski thanked Gordon's fans for their support. Expectations were high for the Governors' Cup, but they were eliminated by Sta. Lucia in the quarterfinals.

Jaworski resigns

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In 1998, Jaworski ran for a senatorial seat for the elections which he won by a lot of votes. This led to a conflict between Jaworski's role in the Senate and his role as coach of Ginebra (named during the Commissioner's Cup). Assistant Rino Salazar was named as interim coach at one point. Ginebra still struggled despite the addition of Bong Alvarez to the team. That year, Danding Cojuangco regained ownership of San Miguel Corporation. One of the moves the team made was adding Allan Caidic from San Miguel Beer. This caused a rift between Jaworski and the new SMC management because he was not informed of the move. In a press conference held at the Senate, Jaworski resigned as player-coach of the Gins. Jaworski was considered the oldest basketball player on any roster at 52 years of age during this time before he retired.

1999: Renaming as the Barangay Ginebra Kings

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Barangay Ginebra Kings
Colors      
Uniforms
Light uniform jersey
Team colours
Light uniform
Dark uniform jersey
Team colours
Dark uniform

In 1999, the team was then officially called Barangay Ginebra Kings. In the All-Filipino, the Barangay Ginebra Kings only managed to finish 8th in the eliminations, and needed to win twice against the first-seeded Mobiline Phone Pals and Asi Taulava in a "David and Goliath" elimination game. The Kings managed to force a knockout game, winning the first game. In the decider, the Kings came back from a 20-point deficit and David's off-balance game-winner resulted in one of the biggest upsets in league history to advance to the next round. Taulava was even seen crying in disappointment after the game when he failed to stop the smaller but quicker David. In the semis, they were eliminated by eventual champion Formula Shell that was marred by a scuffle in Game 2 of the series. A total of PhP 235,000 was slapped on 16 players and one official from both teams. Shell's Jay Mendoza was fined PhP 40,000, while Ginebra players Noli Locsin, Elmer Lago and Boy Valera were fined PhP 20,000 each.

2000–2012: "The Fast and the Furious" era

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In the 2000 off-season, Aquino was traded to Sta. Lucia Realty in exchange for Jun Limpot. The trade was considered as one of the biggest transactions done in the PBA. Another standout, Locsin, was later traded to Pop Cola during the Commissioner's Cup for Vergel Meneses, but it still didn't help the Kings throughout the season. Caidic replaced Salazar as head coach.

The Kings were eliminated early in the quarterfinals by Tanduay in the 2000 All-Filipino Cup, as well as the Commissioner's Cup. With Brian Green as import for the Governors' Cup, the Kings tried to repeat the same result of the 1999 All-Filipino against Mobiline. But this time though, the Phone Pals were able to beat Ginebra in the elimination game.

In 2001, the Kings drafted Mark Caguioa, a virtual unknown in the Philippines basketball scene. Despite that, Caguioa showed brilliance during the All-Filipino, earning his current nickname The Spark. The Kings finished fifth in the eliminations and faced Purefoods, who had a twice-to-beat advantage, in the quarterfinals. In a repeat of events the past two years, the Kings were able to defeat the TJ Hotdogs twice, after an off-balanced game-winner by Ronald Magtulis, to enter the semifinals. The Kings faced Shell in the semifinals, and Ginebra upset the top-seeded Turbo Chargers in five games to meet sister team San Miguel in the finals. The Kings trailed 0–2 but won the next two games to tie the series at 2–2. In the end though, the Beermen won the series in six games. The Kings' success in the All-Filipino were not duplicated in the Commissioner's and Governors' Cup, as they were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

After the season, the Kings acquired Eric Menk from Tanduay to solidify their frontline for the 2002 season. Unfortunately, Menk was loaned to the Philippine team and the Kings struggled throughout the Governors' and Commissioner's Cups, again failing to enter the semis. In the All-Filipino, Menk made his Barangay Ginebra debut but the team did not enter the quarterfinals.

Rommel Adducul finally made his PBA debut after his years with the Metropolitan Basketball Association. The Kings selected the former San Sebastian College - Recoletos Stag as the No. 2 pick in the 2003 draft. His addition though did not help Ginebra's fortune to change in the 29th season. In the All-Filipino Cup, they were eliminated by eventual champion Talk 'N Text in the quarterfinals. They also failed to qualify for the Invitational tournament, after being eliminated by eventual champion Alaska in the qualifying rounds. In the season ending Reinforced Conference, they were knocked out by then-sister team and eventual champion Coca-Cola in the quarterfinals.

2004–05 season

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In 2004, as the league made significant changes so did the team which made the Kings more competitive. Caidic was moved to the position of team manager and former San Miguel assistant coach Siot Tanquingcen became head coach. The team also traded Limpot and Rob Johnson to Purefoods for Andy Seigle and Rodney Santos via Sta. Lucia, which received a future 1st round pick. In the 2004–05 season, Caguioa, along with his backcourt partner Jayjay Helterbrand, formed a strong tandem, which ABC Sports dubbed "The Fast and The Furious".[citation needed] Their play enabled the Kings to win back-to-back championships.

During the conference, Tanquingcen used a three guard combination line-up of Santos, Helterbrand and Caguioa which enabled the team to have a running game. It was during this time that the backcourt tandem of Helterbrand and Caguioa became known as The Fast and The Furious in reference to their running game and to the movie of the same name. On July 7, 2004, the Kings ended a 7-year title drought when they defeated Red Bull Barako in a best-of-5 finals, 3–1, capturing the transition 2004 PBA Fiesta Conference.

During that time, Torraye Braggs was their import. It was considered a miracle as the team was not expected to make it far after being seeded just seventh after the classification rounds. In the elimination wildcard phase, they came back from a 21-point deficit to beat Sta. Lucia. In the quarterfinal round, they had a 2–1 record, enough to make it to the semifinals. In the best of three semifinals, they eventually survived Talk 'N Text in Game 3 on their way to the finals.

On February 11, 2005, the Kings proved that the last championship was not a fluke by winning the next conference, the 2004–05 PBA Philippine Cup, a conference without imports. They dethroned defending champion Talk 'N Text, 4–2, in a controversial best of seven series. Game One was forfeited in favor of Ginebra when Phone Pals center Taulava, who was ineligible to play, entered the game. His citizenship case was still on the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation. The Kings filed a protest prior to the start of Game One. Ginebra carried the momentum and went on to win the championship. This was the team's first back-to-back championships in franchise history.

2005–06 season

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The Kings' victory over Red Bull in the 2004 Fiesta Conference broke the flawless finals record of the Barakos. And it proved to be costly too, as Red Bull would go on to defeat Ginebra in the next three tournaments that would follow after the Kings' back-to-back championships, denying the Kings numerous chances to rewrite history.

In the 2005 PBA Fiesta Conference, the Kings had a chance to rewrite history by winning the last possible three conference championship grand slam. Unfortunately, obstacles such as import problems, injury to Helterbrand and the suspension of future MVP Menk due to citizenship issues, made the team struggle throughout the conference. They placed 9th out of 10 teams in the conference after being swept by Red Bull Barako in the best of 3 wildcard phase of the playoffs. Red Bull took 4th place after being defeated by eventual champion and sister team, San Miguel.

In the 2005–2006 Fiesta Conference, the Kings were seeded to the semifinals after winning the second seed playoff against Red Bull. Original import Sean Lampley was replaced in time for the playoffs, by former Auburn University standout Chris Porter, in order to strengthen Ginebra's quest to regain the Fiesta Conference title. But his addition was not enough to help the Kings reach the finals. They faced Red Bull again in the semifinals, and eventually lost in the series, 4–3. The Kings came back and tied the series, after being down 1–3. It was an emotional series, who were expecting for a repeat of the historic comeback made by the team during the 1991 First Conference. After the series, Tanquingcen apologized to the team's fans. It was also revealed that Caguioa was playing hurt and had a hamstring injury throughout the series. The Kings battled Air21 in the third place game but lost. In that game, a lackluster Ginebra team played, which was believed to be still emotionally down from their game 7 defeat. Red Bull eventually won the championship against Purefoods Chunkee in six games.

In the 2005–2006 Philippine Cup, the Kings finished with a 7–9 record in the classification. Being defending champions, they were considered as favorites to win the tournament. Unfortunately, injuries haunted the team as players began to fall one by one. Standouts Menk and Adducul and rotation players Santos and Seigle all suffered injuries during the conference. The Kings made a gallant stand in the wildcard phase as reserves Mark Macapagal, Allan Salangsang, Manny Ramos and Ervin Sotto stepped up their game. Ginebra took the sixth and final spot in the quarterfinals after defeating Air21 on June 4 with a 118–114 overtime victory as Caguioa recorded a career-high 45 points. However, the Kings still fell short as they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Red Bull, 3–2. After the Kings led 2–1 in the series, the Barakos clinched the series by defeating the Kings by more than 25 points in the last two games. Red Bull went on to survive the Beermen in seven semis games, before being denied a grand slam themselves by the Giants.

2006–07 season

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In the off season, the Kings were involved in the controversial three-way-team trade with Coca-Cola and Air21. The first part of the trade saw the Express sending Ryan Bernardo and its 2007 and 2008 first-round draft picks to the Tigers for Rafi Reavis, Billy Mamaril and the rights to Rudy Hatfield. The second part sent Reavis, Mamaril and Hatfield's rights from the Express to the Kings for Kalani Ferreria, Aries Dimaunahan, Manny Ramos, and Ervin Sotto plus Ginebra's two second round draft picks that year and a future first-round pick. The third part was voided by former commissioner Noli Eala, which would have allowed the Express to regain its own 2007 and 2008 picks plus the Tigers' 2008 second round draft pick from Coke, in exchange for Ferreria and Ramos plus the second-round pick this year and the future first-round pick. Air21 and Coca-Cola submitted a revised version of that part of the trade and was approved by Eala.

Under the revised version, the Express would trade Ramos and Ferreria, plus two second-round picks acquired from San Miguel and Ginebra to the Tigers. The Tigers retained Air21's 2007 and 2008 first-round picks but traded away their 2008 and 2009 first-round picks. The trade was viewed by many within the league as a one-sided trade. It also speculated the rumors of Coca-Cola's possible disbandment from the league, which was denied in a statement released by the president of Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines Inc.(CCBPI) and PBA board of governors for Coca-Cola.

Also, the coaching staff underwent a revamp with Jong Uichico, from sister team San Miguel Beer, taking over coaching duties from Tanquingcen. Tanquingcen became assistant coach, along with Art Dela Cruz and Juno Sauler. Dela Cruz is also from San Miguel, having served as assistant coach, while Sauler is a holdover from Tanquingcen's coaching staff. Uichico, Tanquincen, and Dela Cruz powered the Beermen in their late-1990s championship run and also helped win their 17th title.

As part of their preparations for the 2006-07 PBA season, the team competed in the 6th Shell Rimula Brunei Cup but failed to make it to the semis after losing close games. They started the PBA pre-season tournament with a 90–75 drubbing of Purefoods, [2] but failed to advance to the pre-season finals due to an inferior 2–2 record.

Hatfield made a league comeback and signed with the Kings. Johnny Abarrientos followed suit two weeks before the start of the season.

Ginebra prior to their game against San Miguel at the Cuneta Astrodome.

In the season opener, the Kings defeated the expansion team, Welcoat Dragons, 102–69, on October 1. Two victories over sister team Purefoods and Air21 gave Ginebra a good 3–0 start before being defeated by Red Bull on October 15.

Adducul was later sent to San Miguel as part of a three-team deal which involved Red Bull, a non-SMC club. [3] Ironically, the following game saw the two sister teams face off at the Cuneta Astrodome, in a game which the Kings won in overtime, 101–97, after the Beermen led by as much as 20 points during regulation.

At the middle of the classification round, changes still happened to the team. The team acquired Ronald Tubid from the Air21. [4] The team managers of the SMC teams were also shuffled. Ginebra's team manager, Caidic was replaced by Samboy Lim and he was sent to Coca-Cola.

The Kings advanced straight to the semifinals after becoming the no. 1 team at the end of the classification phase. [5] In the semifinals series against Talk N' Text, they were able to win the crucial Game 5 after the series was tied 2–2, leading to the series clinching Game 6 win.

In the finals, the Kings faced San Miguel and fell behind 0–2 in the series similar to their 2001 showdown. But unlike in 2001, this time the outcome was different. The Kings would win the next four games, with games 3 and 4 being blowouts, to win the 2006-07 PBA Philippine Cup, becoming only the fifth PBA team to win the title after losing the first two games. It was a sweet revenge for the Kings as Helterbrand, who sank two crucial free throws in Game 6, was named Finals MVP. Caguioa also won the Best Player of the Conference award.

After winning the Philippine Cup, starters Caguioa, Helterbrand, and Menk were all loaned to play for the Philippine national team competing in the FIBA Asia Championship. They also lost Hatfield early in the first round due to personal problems, but their import Rod Nealy provided the scoring for the Kings. Despite a depleted lineup, they still managed to finish 12–6 as 3rd seed and earned an outright quarterfinals berth, mainly due to the strong play of Egay Echavez, Mark Macapagal and Gec Chia who shined in the absence of the starters. In the quarterfinals, they faced San Miguel, but ended the series differently. This time the Kings took Game 1 with a 113–87 victory but San Miguel took Game 2 and won an overtime thriller 117–114 in Game 3, thwarting the Kings' chance to win a second pair of back-to-back titles.

2007–08 season

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In the off-season, the Kings made few adjustments to their roster by trading Macapagal to Coca-Cola for guard Chris Pacana and Chia to Talk 'N Text for veteran Victor Pablo, who finally donned the Ginebra jersey 15 years after he was drafted. They also boosted their backcourt by drafting Macky Escalona from Ateneo and acquiring Paul Artadi from Air21 after being traded by Purefoods. They also added depth by getting Willy Wilson. Still, they lacked interior presence due to the loss of Hatfield and injuries to Rafi Reavis and Billy Mamaril. Despite having Helterbrand back in the lineup, they have yet returned to their competitive form because Caguioa got injured. They won the opening game against Red Bull but finished the eliminations 8–10. They ended up in the wildcard phase where they met Air21 and lose 119–110, ending its title defense.

After failing to defend their Philippine Cup crown, they signed Alex Crisano to supplement their front court and Rahshon Turner as their import for the 2008 PBA Fiesta Conference. Despite a different look, the Kings had a slow start losing their first five games with both Turner and Ernest Brown. To stop the losing streak, they replaced Brown with another recruit from the NBA Development League, Chris Alexander whose inside scoring and rebounding helped the Kings win 10 of their next 13 games in the eliminations. The Kings ended on a high note ending the eliminations 10–8 with an outright quarterfinals berth. They faced Sta. Lucia in the quarterfinals and completed a 2-game sweep en route to another showdown against Red Bull. In the semis, which everyone predicted to be a 7-game showdown saw the Kings sweep the Barakos that included a 101–97 overtime victory in Game 4. So convincingly was the sweep that they shamed Red Bull all throughout the series. After the last game of the series, the Barakos went all the way to their locker room without congratulating Barangay Ginebra. This gave Ginebra its first series sweep in franchise history, and its 17th finals appearance. This also gave Uichico his 12th finals appearance (second with Ginebra) and the third sweep in league history since the 1992 Third Conference when Swift swept 7-Up in the finals. The Game 4 victory extended their winning streak dating back from the eliminations to 12 (the longest in franchise history).

In the finals, they met the Air21 who sought to win its first franchise title. At the opener, the Kings extended their winning streak to 13 with a 105–96 victory. But in Game 2, Helterbrand injured his hamstring giving the momentum to the Express for a 124–90 rout, the worst loss of Uichico in his entire coaching career. As their injuries continued to pile up, they lost Game 3 and Helterbrand for the rest of the series. However, the Kings managed to tie the series with a 90–77 win in Game 4. Tubid also returned during Game 4 from a dislocated left ankle and lift the Kings, but lost a close 76–73 in Game 5. In Game 6, the Kings proved that they were more worthy of the title by extending the series to a Game 7 with an 80–75 victory, thanks to Alexander's 37 points (20 in the 3rd quarter) to lift the Kings despite an injury plagued lineup. In Game 7, with the injury suffered by Junthy Valenzuela (tendinitis) and Alexander having cramps in the third quarter, the locals led by Tubid and Menk had a terrific performance to maintain the lead and seal the 97–84 victory, and won the series 4–3 to grab their 8th championship. With the victory, they surpassed Purefoods in titles won. Tubid and Menk was named as co-Finals MVP. Uichico also won his 8th PBA title as a coach and his second with the Kings. A record crowd of 22,902 witness Kings’ coronation, the biggest in Araneta Coliseum since the legendary Crispa-Toyota days.

2008–09 season

[edit]

During the off season, the Kings went to the free-agent market to finalize their roster instead of signing undrafted rookies. Due to their aging and injured frontcourt, the Kings decided to fill their void at the forward position by signing the 6'6" former DLSU Archer Junjun Cabatu to a two-year contract. They defeated defending Philippine Cup champion Sta. Lucia and the team that they defeated in the previous season's 2008 PBA Fiesta Conference finals opponent, Air21. After winning the first two games, Ginebra then went on a 5-game losing streak before moving on the winners bracket with a victory over Coca-Cola. With a victory over Rain or Shine on Christmas Day, they finished the eliminations with a 10–8 card, and an outright berth to the quarterfinals. Then they faced a familiar foe, their sister squad San Miguel. And in Game 1, they lost a one-point thriller. The Kings exploded in game 2 even after losing an 18-point lead in the end game, they tied the series to one game a piece. In Game 3, the Kings were stream rolling with a 21-point lead only to lose the game and the series as the Beermen went on to face Talk 'N Text in the semifinals.

In preparation for the 2009 PBA Fiesta Conference and to fill up their injury plagued lineup, they acquired Chico Lanete (who was acquired by Air21 from Purefoods), Doug Kramer, and JC Intal from Air21 in exchange for their 2012 and 2013 draft picks. The Kings, though, lost big man Alex Crisano after deciding to let go of their center to Barako Bull Energy Boosters in exchange for a 2010 second round pick.

Comebacking import (2007 Fiesta Cup) Rod Nealy scored 42 points, 23 rebounds, 9 assists in his first game in the conference. After which, they fell to 2–5 before the Holy Week break and they sent Nealy home. While looking for the right import, they almost got one through former Los Angeles Clippers forward Ryan Humphrey but he exceeded the height limit of 6'6 (he was listed 6'8). After the break, they came back strong with a win over Rain or Shine 94–89 despite an All Filipino lineup. To beef up their lineup, they acquired Cyrus Baguio and Homer Se from the Burger King Whoppers in a 3-way trade including Purefoods. After weeks of trying to find an import, they finally signed former Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers swingman David Noel who was listed as 6'5" to further boost their depth as they try go deeper in the eliminations. Noel made an impressive debut with a triple double (22 pts, 17 rebs, 10 assts) in a 100–94 win over Burger King. Noel also displayed his athleticism by showing his high-flying skills in the 2009 PBA Slam Dunk Contest besting co-imports Gabe Freeman and Anthony Johnson to win the Imports category and Gabe Norwood to win it overall joining Paul Artadi who won the Obstacle Challenge earlier as the Kings won two of the three events. His dunks included a Michael Jordan rock the cradle dunk, a tossed windmill, and a backflip then 360 dunk that gave him a perfect 100 from the judges including US Ambassador Kristie Kenney, and due to the fans request, he did a familiar Julius Erving foul line takeoff to cap the contest. In the main event of the evening which is the All-star Game between the Powerade Team Pilipinas and the Import laced PBA All-stars, Noel again won the All-star game MVP as the All-stars defeated the Nationals 97–89.

As of this moment, the Kings are 8–1 with Noel as their import and they clinched a semifinal berth in the Conference along with the San Miguel Beermen as they pounded the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters 114–71.

The Kings were without high-scoring Mark Caguioa who was still recuperating from an injury in the United States. Caguioa, one of the prolific scorers in the league, did not play in the previous conference and his absence hurt the team's campaign. Junthy Valenzuela is also on the injured list.

2009–10 season

[edit]
Willie Miller was traded to Ginebra in exchange of Cyrus Baguio.

In preparation for the 35th season, the Kings were included in a three-way trade with Burger King and Purefoods. They sent Paul Artadi, Rafi Reavis, and 8th draft pick Chris Timberlake to Purefoods for Enrico Villanueva, Rich Alvarez, Paolo Bugia, and Celino Cruz. They also traded their eighteenth draft pick Orlando Daroya to Burger King for Pocholo Villanueva, but Villanueva never made it to the team.[6] Meanwhile, they released guard Macky Escalona, and forward J. R. Aquino to free-agency and waived center Homer Se. They also released guard Chris Pacana, who was later signed by the Sta. Lucia Realtors [citation needed] and placed forward Junjun Cabatu to the practice player list. On other reports, Ginebra coach Jong Uichico confirmed that they signed Eric Menk to a one-year contract extension for the Kings. It then released guard Chico Lanete and was later signed by the Burger King Whoppers. Prior to this release, they signed Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters 18th overall pick Kevin White to a one-year deal.

In the Fiesta Conference, Rudy Hatfield came back to the country and signed a one-year contract with Ginebra. During the mid-conference, Ginebra acquired Yancy de Ocampo and a 2010 second-round draft pick from the Burger King Whoppers in exchange for Rich Alvarez and Doug Kramer and acquired the former Metropolitan Basketball Association MVP, John Ferriols, who officially became an unrestricted free agent after being on the reserved list by the Alaska Aces. Due to lack of impressive point guards in their line-up, they traded high-flying Cyrus Baguio to the Alaska Aces and got the two-time MVP Willie Miller. Ginebra also traded Billy Mamaril to Air21 Express for Mike Cortez in the latter part of the conference.

The Kings' first import was Awvee Storey but he was then replaced by Mildon Ambres because of his inconsistencies. Ambres' performance was also not far from Storey's output; the team again made an import change. Denham Brown, a Seattle SuperSonics draftee, and a standout from the NBDL squad Iowa Energy, also struggled in five games when he played for the team during the last round of the eliminations.

The Kings looked for winning combinations with the new players in their lineup. But, they still failed to secure a playoff berth for the semifinals. Being tied with the Elasto Painters, they played for one-game playoff for the last quarterfinals berth. The result was, the Kings defeated Rain or Shine, 115–88, in the lopsided win. Barangay Ginebra then renewed its historic battle with fourth-seeded Alaska Aces in the quarterfinals. This was a rematch between the two teams that tangled in the semifinals of the 2009 Philippine Cup. Alaska took a 2–0 lead. Diamon Simpson powered his way to a 20–20 game in the first game and Barangay Ginebra as the Aces topped the Kings, 76–72, in the opener of this quarterfinals. In game 2 Alaska showed poise at crunch time. The Aces came up with big plays down the stretch while the Kings could not, enabling the Aces to escape with an 84–82 win. Simpson capped a 30-point game with his 17th rebound that sealed the game just before the final buzzer. Eric Menk and import Chris Daniels provided scoring but their backcourt were again invisible, with Mark Caguioa, Willie Miller, Mike Cortez, and Jayjay Helterbrand struggling in the game. In game 3 Ginebra came with a breakthrough win that fanned the hopes of the team. Not one but several Kings heeded the call and resulted in a 91–87 win over the Alaska Aces that kept the Kings' hope for the quarterfinals series. JC Intal, who came off the bench exploded for 20 points, delivering what Mark Caguioa and Wille Mller could not while providing both inspiration and boost to the team's cause of eluding Alaska's broom. The Kings forced a rubber match when they got balanced scoring from their roster with a 94–90 win over Alaska in Game 4. JC Intal and Ronald Tubid hit consecutive three-pointers in the final three minutes while Sunday Salvacion came through with the game-sealing free throws with 2.6 seconds left in Game 4. Ginebra failed to win the quarterfinal series with a heartbreaking 91–93 loss with Aces. In game 5, Tenorio drilled a difficult triple at the buzzer which seemed enough to propel the Aces to a victory and erected a six-point lead, 90–84, with just 2:15 left in the match. Willie Miller scored on a layup off a broken play as Ginebra cut the Alaska lead to four 90–86 with 1:27 to go in the game. Miller then followed up a missed layup by his teammate to push Ginebra even closer, 90–88, with 31 seconds left. Eric Menk then intercepted a long pass by Simpson, grabbing the ball at midcourt then zipped the ball over to an open Jayjay Helterbrand who drilled a three-pointer as the Kings pulled ahead of Alaska, 90–91, with 28 seconds left. But Ginebra, unable to pull a tough defensive play, when Diamon Simpson scored from underneath to push Alaska ahead for good, 92–91, with just 5 seconds left to play. Cyrus Baguio then double-teamed an attacking Eric Menk and stole the ball from Menk that finalized the score on a split from the line, 93–91.

2010–11 season

[edit]

Two-time Most Valuable Player Willie Miller signed a two-year contract with the Kings. Billy Mamaril then returned to the Kings after a stint with Air21 in exchange for a future draft pick. Three-time champion coach Siot Tanquingcen, rejoined the coaching staff of the Kings.

To start building its future, with 11 players who were age 30 and over, the Kings picked three rookies. They drafted 2009 NCAA season MVP John Wilson from Jose Rizal University and 2009 NCAA Finals MVP Jimbo Aquino from San Sebastian College in the first round and University of the East's Robert Labagala in the second round of the 2010 PBA draft. They also released Paolo Bugia, John Ferriols, Kevin White and Junjun Cabatu and traded Sunday Salvacion to Barako Bull for a future first round draft pick. They signed its three rookies after a week, giving Ginebra a mixture of youth and experienced backcourt. Wilson and Aquino were given similar two-year contracts worth P5.7 million, while Labagala got a one-year deal worth P800,000. On July 18, 2011, Miller was traded to Air21 in exchange for Niño Canaleta and a 2012 future draft pick.

2011–2012 season: Last season as the Kings

[edit]
Robert Jaworski's retired jersey banner at the rafters of the Smart Araneta Coliseum during the retirement ceremonies.

After a lackluster previous season, assistant coach Tanquingcen was named co-head coach, alongside head coach Uichico. After the news that Hatfield left the Kings due to personal matters, the team selected Reil Cervantes and James Martinez in the 2011 PBA draft, but only kept Cervantes due to the guard heavy roster. Helterbrand signed only a one – conference contract extension, due to his desire to find out if he "still had it" and if he does not, he announced that he would retire after the conference.

The Kings drew flak that season for starting the younger, inexperienced guards such as Wilson and Labagala instead of holdovers Caguioa and Helterbrand, a move intended by Tanquingcen to speed up the development of the younger guns of Ginebra. Because of that, the Kings managed to barely escape two rival teams successively, as well as experience a two-game losing streak right after.

On November 16, the Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Chito Salud approved a trade that sent Allein Maliksi and former Rookie of the Year Rico Maierhofer to Ginebra, while Jimbo Aquino and 2013 1st round pick of Ginebra will be given to Barako Bull Energy, and 2002 1st overall pick Yancy de Ocampo and the 2012 2nd round pick of Ginebra will go to B-Meg Llamados.

The Kings finished fifth in the 2011–12 Philippine Cup eliminations with a 9–5 record. They entered the quarterfinals but they were defeated by Rain or Shine in a best-of-three series.

On January 11, 2012, Uichico resigned from the SMC basketball organization to become one of the assistant coaches of the Smart Gilas national team. On The same month, Ginebra acquired, Kerby Raymundo (from B-Meg) for JC Intal, and Dylan Ababou (from Barako Bull) for guard/forward Ronald Tubid and forward Cervantes. They also reacquired veteran Rudy Hatfield and brought back old import, Alexander in the 2012 Commissioner's Cup but after three games, the team replaced him with NBA veteran Jackson Vroman the team won the playoff for 2nd place in semifinals berth. Caguioa suffered a scary eye injury on that game. Ginebra failed to advance in finals, bowing to B-Meg in semifinal series (4–1).

In the season-ending Governors' Cup, Caguioa returned to play and wore a protective glasses during the game. The team hired import Cedric Bozeman, and led the team to semifinals round with 5–4 standing in the eliminations.

The conference was highlighted with the retirement of Robert Jaworski's jersey number 7 on July 8, before the semifinal game against Petron Blaze. However, the team failed again to advance in finals in a heartbreaking loss to the Llamados during the one-game playoff for the 2nd finals berth.

Caguioa was named Best Player of the Conference for the 2012 Commissioner's and Governors' Cup. He waited 11 years before finally winning the Most Valuable Player award, and Caguioa dedicated it to the people who never left his side.

2012–present: Barangay Ginebra San Miguel

[edit]
Barangay Ginebra during one of their timeouts. Photo was taken during the 2014–15 Philippine Cup, when Jeffrey Cariaso was still the head coach of the team.
Barangay Ginebra's huddle during their 2016 Commissioner's Cup quarterfinal round game against Rain or Shine on April 17, 2016. Their head coach, Tim Cone, who took over as their head coach in 2015, can be seen in the middle.

For the 2012–13 PBA season, the team was named as Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.[7]

2012–2015: The arrival of LA Tenorio and pre-Cone years

[edit]

On January 1, 2013, team consultant Alfrancis Chua was appointed head coach, while Siot Tanquingcen slid down to lead assistant coach for the 2012–13 PBA Philippine Cup.[8] Chua was able to steer the team to the 2013 PBA Commissioner's Cup finals. They defeated the second seeded Rain or Shine in the quarterfinals from a twice to beat advantage. Import Vernon Macklin got two crucial freethrows in the last 12 second of the fourth quarter, despite poor free throw performance, to lead at 81–79. The Elasto Painters manage to set another chances, passing the ball to Jeff Chan who drives to the basket, but Macklin block it so quickly, with 7 seconds remaining they pass the ball to Paul Lee but missing the three-point line, Chan got the ball but also missing the layups as the time is over, Ginebra survive the game and will face against Talk 'N Text . After beating the Tropang Texters in the semifinals in five games but was eventually swept by Alaska in the best-of-five series. On July 16, 2013, newspapers reported that Chua "has reportedly resigned as head coach of Barangay Ginebra, announcing his decision to the players in their first practice session yesterday for the upcoming Governors' Cup. Online reports said that Chua decided to step down following disagreement with the management on the coaching shakeup and player movement during the conference break.[9] On July 25, 2013, San Miguel Corporation announced that Ato Agustin shall take over as interim head coach, while Chua became team manager.[10]

In the 2013–14 PBA Philippine Cup, they finished the eliminations with the first slot in semis. They also beat Alaska to advance in the quarterfinals. They faced their sister team, San Mig Super Coffee Mixers, in seemingly war of attrition, tying the semis at 3–3, but lost to the Mixers by 23 points. Before the start of the upcoming Governors' Cup, the annual Asian Basketball Showdown was held where Asian powerhouses will face against other Asian teams. Ginebra faced KBL powerhouse Changwon LG Sakers with Christopher Massie as import for Changwon LG. The game ended with an 81–76 loss to the Sakers.[11] For the Governors' Cup, Barangay Ginebra paraded their import Orlando Johnson, a former Indiana Pacer. They also got the first Asian import Sanchir Tungalag, a Mongolian basketball star who was then replaced by guard Kim Jiwan. With those imports, they managed to place 8th. Ginebra extended the league best playoff appearance streak to 25 conferences. Kim and Tungalag became the first Korean and Mongolian reinforcements in the league, respectively.

2015–present: The Tim Cone era and the arrival of Scottie Thompson

[edit]

On July 20, 2015, San Miguel Corporation president Ramon Ang confirmed the appointment of Tim Cone as the new head coach of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, starting in the 2015–16 edition of the Philippine Cup.[12] On September 28, 2015, Ginebra traded Mac Baracael and Dorian Peña in a four team trade that landed Joe Devance to the Ginebra.[13] In the 2016 Commissioner's Cup, the team tapped Othyus Jeffers, a former NBA veteran, as their import. During the Governors' Cup, the team signed Justin Brownlee, replacing the injured Paul Harris, as their import. They returned to the finals again after a hard-fought semifinals series against their sister team San Miguel to face Meralco, who also faced their sister team TNT. The series went up to Game 6, where Brownlee took the game-winning shot to capture the 2016 PBA Governors' Cup title that ended their eight-year drought dating back from 2008.

At the 2016-17 PBA Philippine Cup, Ginebra entered the playoffs as the #7 seed. They overcame a twice to beat disadvantage and defeated the Alaska Aces in the quarter finals to move on to the semis against sister team Star Hotshots. Despite being down 0–2 in the series, they were able to come back and win in 7 games, avenging their semifinals loss 3 years ago to make it to the Philippine Cup finals after 10 years against their other sister team and defending champions, the San Miguel Beermen. Ginebra was overmatched and lost the series in 5 games. For the 2017 PBA Commissioner's Cup, they brought back Justin Brownlee and ended up #1 in the standing after the eliminations. However, they got knocked out by TNT Katropa in the semis. And for the 2017 PBA Governors' Cup, they smashed the hopes of San Miguel Beermen for a rare grandslam as they blew them out in the quarterfinals. Then they won a hard-fought series against TNT Katropa in the semis to enter the finals and a chance to defend their championship. Waiting for Ginebra in the finals was the same team they defeated in the previous season, the Meralco Bolts. Barangay Ginebra went up 2–0 in the series, however Meralco was able to come back and tie the series. Ginebra won game 5 at the Philippine Arena to move 1 win away to defending their championship. But Meralco came out strong in game 6 to win the game in front of over 53 thousand fans in attendance. In game 7, the attendance was broken yet again at the Philippine Arena as over 54,000 fans trooped to watch Barangay Ginebra successfully defend their championship, winning 101–96 for their 1st title repeat in franchise history. A few days after their championship conquest, long time Ginebra fan favorite and legend Jayjay Helterbrand announced his retirement, thus ending "The Fast and The Furious" era of Barangay Ginebra.

Fresh off their 2017 Governors' Cup championship, Ginebra opened their 2017–18 Philippine Cup tournament by beating their rival Magnolia Hotshots (Formerly Star Hotshots) during Christmas Day for the 3rd straight year. Mark Caguioa paid tribute to his former backcourt partner and Ginebra legend Jayjay Helterbrand by changing his jersey number 47 to Jayjay's number 13 for the whole conference. Ginebra had a roller coaster elimination round and finished with a record 6–5 capped off with a triple overtime victory over Rain or Shine to gain the 4th seed. They met the Rain or Shine in the quarterfinals and swept them in 2 games. However they met their sister team, the defending champions San Miguel Beermen in the semis. Without their big man Greg Slaughter who is nursing an injury, the Beermen dismantled Ginebra in 5 games and went on to win the championship for the 4th straight year. Scottie Thompson recorded his 2nd career triple double in Game 5 of the semis. In the 2018 Commissioner's Cup, Ginebra donned a New Jersey with the words "GINEBRA AKO" for the conference.[14] They also paraded import Charles Garcia while their resident import Justin Brownlee was still playing for the San Miguel Alab Pilipinas in the ABL. Ginebra had a slow start, having a 1–3 record before bringing back Brownlee who was fresh off a championship in ABL. They lost their first 2 games with Brownlee that brought their record down to 1–5 which put them on the brink of elimination. However they went on a furious 8 game winning streak that went all the way to the semifinals against Rain or Shine which they beat in 4 games to reach the Commissioner's Cup finals for the first time since 2013. They faced the defending champions, San Miguel Beermen. They split the series' first 4 games with blowout wins. Then on Game 5 with the series tied 2–2, Scottie Thompson scored clutch baskets to lift Ginebra to victory and put Ginebra one win away from the championship. On Game 6 at The Mall Of Asia Arena, it was a close game in the first half with the Beermen leading by 3. On the 3rd quarter, Ginebra blew the game wide open and never looked back as they went on to win the 2018 PBA Commissioner's Cup for the first time since 1997. Scottie Thompson was named the Finals MVP. Justin Brownlee also won the Best Import Award before the start of Game 4. The team's 2018 Governors' Cup campaign drew expectations for them to win the tournament as they topped the elimination round with a record of 9–2.[15] However, their hopes of winning a three-peat in the tournament ended by losing in the semi-finals to their sister team, Magnolia Hotshots, who were eventually crowned champions by defeating the Alaska Aces in the said tournament.

Fresh from their semifinals defeat in the Governors' Cup, Ginebra won their first game of the 2018–19 PBA Philippine Cup, 90–79 against the TNT Katropa. Japeth Aguilar led the team with 21 points.[16] Ginebra finished 3rd in the standings with a record of 7–4. But they got eliminated early in the quarterfinals against Magnolia Hotshots. Midway through the Commissioner's Cup, Ginebra was involved in the biggest trade of the season. They traded Sol Mercado, Kevin Ferrer and Jervy Cruz to Northport for star player Stanley Pringle. Ginebra also signed unrestricted free agent Jared Dillinger. They finished 4th in the standings with a record of 7–4. In the quarterfinals they got their revenge on their sister team Magnolia Hotshots by sweeping them in 2 games. However they lost to TNT Katropa in 4 games in the semifinals, failing to defend their championship. In the Governor's Cup conference, Ginebra finished 4th in the standings with a record of 7–4 just like the previous 2 conference. In the quarterfinals they had a twice to beat advantage where they faced grandslam seeking San Miguel Beermen who won both the Philippine Cup and Commissioners Cup, in a close game they defeated the Beermen and again crushed their grandslam hopes for the second time in 3 seasons. In the semifinals they were heavily favored to win against #8 seed Northport and they finished them off in 4 games, winning the series 3–1. Ginebra makes the 2019 PBA Governors' Cup finals for the 3rd time in 4 years. In the finals they met Meralco Bolts again for the 3rd time. The series was highly expected to be a long series as Meralco is now a stronger team. They split games 1 and 2, and in game 3 Meralco bigman Raymond Almazan got injured and never returned to the game, Ginebra took advantage and won the game. Meralco was never the same after losing Almazan and Ginebra quickly capitalized on the situation and won games 4 and 5 to win the series and their 3rd Governor's Cup championship in 4 years. Japeth Aguilar was named Finals MVP.

The 2020 PBA Philippine Cup opened its season in March 8 but after 3 days, the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The season resumed inside a bubble on October 11 in Clark Pampanga. Ginebra opened their tourney with 4 straight victories before losing 2 straight games and finished the eliminations as the number 1 seed with a record of 8–3 to gain a twice to beat advantage in the quarter finals. In the quarter finals they beat Rain or Shine to enter the semifinals against Meralco Bolts, who eliminated the reigning champions San Miguel Beermen. They beat the Bolts in 5 games, capped off with a buzzer beating 3 points by Scottie Thompson to enter the finals for the second straight conference against TNT Tropang Giga. In the finals, they won Game 1 in overtime in a tightly close game. They followed it up by beating TNT again in Game 2 to go up 2–0. Coming back from a 15 points deficit in the 3rd quarter, TNT was without their star player Ray Parks Jr. who injured his calf in Game 1. TNT bounced back in Game 3 as they blew out the Kings. In Game 4 Ginebra took control of the game from start up to the last few minutes of the game where TNT came back after being down by 18 in the 4th but guard LA Tenorio was able to hold TNT with his timely 3 pointers to go up 3–1. In Game 5, TNT was without their leader Jayson Castro who got injured in Game 4. It was a tightly close game all throughout in which Ginebra finally took the victory led by Japeth Aguilar who scored 32 points. Barangay Ginebra won their first Philippine Cup Championship after 13 years and also their first back to back conference championship in 15 years. LA Tenorio was named Finals MVP and Coach Tim Cone became Ginebra's winningest coach with 5 championships, surpassing the legendary Robert Jaworski.

Ginebra struggled in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup as they tied with Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters at the 8th spot in the elimination round. Ginebra's chance for a title defense was still alive when they won the 8th-seed playoff game against the Phoenix to gain the last slot on the Quarterfinals. Unfortunately, their title hopes for repeat were squashed as they were defeated in the quarterfinals by the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup runner-ups, the TNT Tropang Giga. TNT were eventually crowned champions. Coach Tim Cone took the blame for their title repeat failure but promised that it wouldn't happen again. Another title repeat was in the line for Ginebra as they were the champions in the 2019 PBA Governors' Cup. Justin Brownlee returned as their import for the 2021 PBA Governors' Cup. They got a hot start in the elimination round, but they struggled due to the injuries of key players Aljon Mariano and Stanley Pringle. Their key acquisition for this conference was John Pinto, who declined his contract extension offered by the Meralco Bolts and signed with Ginebra as an unrestricted free agent. Ginebra regained its composure in the final games of the elimination round. They finished as the 6th seed in the quarterfinals after defeating the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the last game. After clinching the 6th seed, Ginebra faced another familiar foe and set up another quarterfinals rematch with TNT. Ginebra managed to overcome the twice-to-win disadvantage against TNT to book a semis match against the NLEX Road Warriors. Ginebra's hot winning streak continued until the semis, but they've lost Japeth Aguilar for multiple games due to a strained calf injury. Even without Aguilar, they defeated NLEX in a Best-of-5 Semifinals series, 3–1. They booked another finals rematch against the Meralco for the fourth time since the 2016 PBA Governors' Cup. Ginebra successfully defended their Governors' Cup title as they defeated Meralco, 4–2 in a Best-of-7 finals series. Justin Brownlee was awarded as the Best Import while Scottie Thompson was awarded as the Best Player of the Conference and the Finals MVP in that conference.

Legacy

[edit]
  • Gary Granada, a well-known composer and singer in the Philippines, composed numerous songs about the Kings; "Ginebrang Ginebra", "Kapag Nananalo ang Ginebra" (When Ginebra Wins) sung by Bayang Barrios, Pag Natatalo ang Ginebra (When Ginebra Loses), sung by himself.[17] A different rendition of the song was made when Gordon's Gin won the 1997 PBA Commissioner's Cup finals entitled "'Nang Maging Champion ang Ginebra". The song was revived by Maria Gracia Gonzales, a Barangay Ginebra fan and updated its lyrics, drawing inspiration from the team's victory in Game 2 of the 2016 Governors' Cup finals. A video was posted by Gonzales in her Facebook account and garnered more than 800,000 views, 19,000 likes and 33,000 shares.[18] She also performed the song during halftime of Game 5 of the championship series.

Current roster

[edit]
Players Coaches
Pos. # POB Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From
F/C 1 Philippines Troy Rosario 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 218 lb (99 kg) 1992–01–20 National-U
F 2 United States Jeremiah Gray 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1996–08–16 Dominican (CA)
G 4 Philippines RJ Abarrientos 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 174 lb (79 kg) 1999–09–14 Far Eastern
G 9 Philippines Scottie Thompson 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1993–07–12 UPHSD
G 10 Philippines John Pinto 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1990–10–15 Arellano
F/C 11 Philippines Isaac Go Injured 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1996–06–07 Ateneo
G/F 14 United States Stephen Holt 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1991–12–06 Saint Mary's
F 18 Philippines Ralph Cu 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1997–03–08 De La Salle
F/C 23 Philippines Raymond Aguilar 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1985–07–27 National-U
G/F 24 Philippines Jayson David 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 191 lb (87 kg) 1996–11–08 Lyceum
C 25 Philippines Japeth Aguilar 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1987–01–25 Western Kentucky
F/C 29 Canada Norbert Torres 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1990–01–12 De La Salle
F 34 Philippines Sonny Estil (R) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 2001–06–28 Letran
C 88 Philippines Ben Adamos 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1995–12–30 UPHSD
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Team manager
  • Philippines Alfrancis Chua[a]
  • Philippines 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 Injured

Roster


  • a Also serves as Barangay Ginebra's board governor.


Season-by-season records

[edit]

List of the last five conferences completed by the Barangay Ginebra franchise. For the full-season history, see List of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel seasons.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage

Season Conference GP W L W–L% Finish Playoffs
2023–24 Commissioner's 11 8 3 .727 3rd Lost in semifinals vs. San Miguel, 0–3
Philippine 11 7 4 .636 2nd Lost in semifinals vs. Meralco, 3–4
2024–25 Governors' 10 6 4 .600 3rd (Group B) Lost in finals vs. TNT, 2–4
Commissioner's 12 8 4 .667 4th Lost in finals vs. TNT, 3–4
Philippine 11 8 3 .727 4th Lost in semifinals vs. San Miguel, 3–4
An asterisk (*) indicates one-game playoff; two asterisks (**) indicate team with twice-to-beat advantage

Awards

[edit]

Individual awards

[edit]
PBA Most Valuable Player PBA Finals MVP PBA Best Player of the Conference
PBA Rookie of the Year Award PBA All Defensive Team PBA Mythical First Team
PBA Mythical Second Team PBA Most Improved Player PBA Sportsmanship Award
PBA Best Import

PBA Press Corps Individual Awards

[edit]
Executive of the Year Baby Dalupan Coach of the Year Defensive Player of the Year
Bogs Adornado Comeback Player of the Year Mr. Quality Minutes All-Rookie Team
Lifetime Achievement Award President's Award
  • Robert Jaworski - 2023–24
  • Tim Cone - 2023–24

All-Star Weekend

[edit]
All Star MVP Obstacle Challenge
Slam Dunk Contest All-Star Selection

Notable players

[edit]

Members of the 50 Greatest Players in PBA History

[edit]

Other notable players

[edit]

Imports

[edit]

1979:

  • Larry McNeill
  • Dean Tolson

1980:

1981:

  • Larry McNeill
  • Dean Tolson

1982:

1983:

1984:

  • Tony Washam

1985:

1986:

1987:

1988:

1989:

1990:

1991:

1992:

1993:

1994:

1995:

  • Isaiah Morris
  • Darryl Prue
  • Alexander Coles
  • Andre Hardy
  • Antonio Madison

1996:

1997:

  • Andy Bostick
  • Dennis Edwards
  • Tyrone Hopkins
  • Chris King
  • Purnell Perry
  • Leon Trimmingham

1998:

1999:

  • Mario Donaldson

2000:

  • Ryan Fletcher

2001:

  • Jarrod Gee
  • Brian Green
  • Roy Hammonds
  • Mark Jones

2002:

2003:

2004:

2005–06:

2006–07:

  • Rod Nealy

2007–08:

2008–09:

2009–12:

2012–13:

2013–14

2014–15

2016

2017

  • Justin Brownlee

2018

2019

  • Justin Brownlee

2021–22

  • Justin Brownlee

2022–23

  • Justin Brownlee

2023–24

2024–25

  • Justin Brownlee

Retired numbers

[edit]
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel retired numbers
Player Position Tenure
7 Robert Jaworski G 1984–1998[a]
8 Allan Caidic G 1998–1999[b]

Coaches

[edit]

Team managers

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, commonly known as the Gin Kings, is a professional franchise based in , , competing in the (PBA), the country's top-tier men's professional basketball league. Owned and sponsored by , Inc., a of the , the team is celebrated for its enormous and devoted fanbase—often called the "Barangay"—which creates an electric atmosphere at games, and for its enduring "" motto, symbolizing relentless perseverance and fighting spirit that originated from a dramatic comeback victory in 1985. The franchise entered the PBA as an in 1979 under the name Gilbey's Gin, marking the beginning of a storied journey in Philippine . Initially struggling in its early seasons, the team achieved breakthrough success in 1986 by capturing its first championship in the Open Conference, led by playing-coach and import Billy Ray Bates. Over the decades, Barangay Ginebra has evolved through various sponsorship names, including Añejo Rum 65 and Tondeña Rhum 65, while building a reputation for thrilling, high-stakes rivalries, particularly with the , and fostering a culture of underdog triumphs that resonates deeply with Filipino sports culture. With a record of 15 PBA championships as of 2025—the second-highest in league history—the team has excelled across conferences, including notable victories in the 2004–05 Fiesta Conference, and 2020 Philippine Cups, 2017 and 2021 Governors' Cups, and the 2022–23 Commissioner's Cup. These triumphs have been guided by legendary figures such as Jaworski, who pioneered the team's resilient ethos; multiple winners like and Scottie Thompson; and sharpshooters including and . Currently coached by , the winningest mentor in PBA history with 25 titles across teams, Ginebra features a roster blending veterans like Scottie Thompson and with rising talents such as and , alongside longtime import . In the 2025 PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup, the Gin Kings are actively contending, having secured recent wins like a dominant over NLEX on while navigating a competitive field that includes their arch-rivals. The team's , , and colors and its home games at the underscore its central role in Philippine , where it continues to embody national pride and unyielding determination.

History

Founding and Early Years (1979–1983)

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel traces its origins to 1979, when La Tondeña Distillers entered the (PBA) as an expansion team under the name Gilbey's Gin, marking the league's first such addition. Owned by Carlos Palanca Jr., the franchise was sponsored by the Gilbey's Gin alcohol brand, aligning with La Tondeña's portfolio of distilled spirits. The initial roster featured players like Lucrecio "Luke" Dacula, Ricafort Mallari, Norberto Rivera, Ulysses Rodriguez, Ernesto de Leon, and Jesusito Legaspi, who formed the core of the team's early lineup. Head coached by Pilo Pumaren, the squad struggled in its debut season, finishing with a 1-15 record in the All-Filipino Conference and placing fourth in the Invitational tournament, reflecting the challenges of integrating into a competitive league dominated by established teams. In 1980, under new head coach Nemie Villegas, Gilbey's Gin showed incremental progress by recruiting Willie Generalao, who earned Rookie of the Year honors for his contributions. The team advanced to the semifinals of the All-Filipino , achieving a fourth-place finish overall that season with a balanced record of 16 wins and 23 losses across conferences. The following year, the sponsorship shifted to St. George Whiskies for the Reinforced Filipino , though the team maintained modest results without notable playoff breakthroughs. By 1982, reverting to the Gilbey's Gin moniker and coached by Arturo Valenzona, the franchise imported players like Lew Massey and Larry McNeill, bolstering their offense and leading to a first-ever appearance in the Open , where they fell to the Super Corollas 3-0 despite high-scoring efforts. The 1983 season represented a peak in the early years, with Gilbey's Gin reaching the semifinals of the Open Conference after a 3-3 semifinal record that tied them with Crispa, Great Taste, and San Miguel, though they were eliminated in the ensuing playoffs. In the All-Filipino Conference, key contributors including Generalao, , and Gary Vargas propelled the team to the finals, only to be swept 3-0 by the dominant , who completed their second Grand Slam. These modest achievements, including no championships but consistent semifinal contention, laid the groundwork for future success while highlighting the team's resilience amid evolving sponsorship ties to La Tondeña's whisky brands.

Jaworski Era and Rise to Prominence (1984–1998)

Robert Jaworski joined the Gilbey's Gin Tonics in 1984 as a player following the disbandment of his previous team, Toyota, bringing veteran leadership and pairing with Francis Arnaiz to revitalize the struggling franchise. In 1985, Jaworski assumed the role of player-coach, marking the beginning of his transformative tenure that emphasized resilience and tactical discipline. Under his guidance, the team rebranded to Ginebra San Miguel that same year, aligning with the distiller's flagship product and fostering a growing fanbase drawn to Jaworski's intense style. The "Never Say Die" spirit emblematic of the franchise originated during the 1985 season, highlighted by dramatic comebacks that showcased Jaworski's unyielding determination, particularly in a dramatic comeback against rivals Tanduay Rhum Makers in the Reinforced Conference. This ethos was cemented through Jaworski's personal example, such as returning from injury to rally the team in critical games, turning potential defeats into victories and defining Ginebra's identity amid fierce rivalries. The brand evolved further in 1988 to Añejo Rum 65, reflecting corporate shifts under La Tondeña Distillers, followed by a return to in 1991 and Tondeña 65 Rhum Masters in 1994, each iteration maintaining the core fighting spirit, before becoming Gordon's Gin Boars in 1997. Jaworski's leadership propelled Ginebra to five championships during this era: the 1986 Open Conference, defeating Manila Beer in the finals for the franchise's first title; the 1988 All-Filipino Conference under the Añejo moniker, overcoming Purefoods in a gritty series; the 1989 Reinforced Conference, edging out ; the 1991 First Conference, rallying past Shell in a comeback victory; and the 1996 Governors' Cup, triumphing over Purefoods. Notable finals losses, including the 1986 All-Filipino defeat to Tanduay and the 1987 All-Filipino defeat to Great Taste, intensified rivalries and honed the team's resolve, while in 1997, after losing the All-Filipino finals to Purefoods 4-2, they won the Commissioner's Cup against Alaska Milkmen 4-2, and exited early in the Governors' Cup semifinals. By 1998, amid mounting team struggles including inconsistent performances and internal tensions, Jaworski resigned as player-coach in December, concluding a 14-year association that elevated Ginebra to prominence and left an indelible mark on PBA history.

Kings Period and Transitional Challenges (1999–2012)

In 1999, the franchise underwent a significant rebranding to the Barangay Ginebra Kings, reflecting its deep ties to San Miguel Corporation's ownership and the enduring "Never Say Die" ethos that resonated with its passionate fanbase. This period introduced a high-octane "Fast and Furious" playing style, characterized by rapid transitions and aggressive defense, which became synonymous with the team's identity. Under this banner, the Kings navigated ownership stability within the San Miguel group while building around emerging local talents, though the era was marked by transitional hurdles including roster inconsistencies and competitive pressures from rival teams. Key contributors during these years included point guard , who joined in 1998 and brought veteran leadership, shooting guard , selected third overall in the and known for his explosive scoring, and forward , a Fil-American standout who debuted in 2002 and formed the core triumvirate driving the team's offensive firepower. Imports like provided early reinforcement in the point guard role during the late 1990s conferences, aiding the shift to a more dynamic lineup. The 2004–05 season stood out as a pinnacle, with the Kings clinching the Philippine Cup championship—their first in over a decade—after a hard-fought 4–2 finals victory over Talk 'N Text, propelled by Menk's MVP performance and the duo's relentless pace. However, the team endured frequent early playoff exits in other tournaments, often hampered by injuries to key players like Helterbrand and Menk's temporary suspension over citizenship eligibility in 2005. From 2006 to 2008, achieved three consecutive appearances, underscoring their contention status amid broader inconsistencies: they fell to Barako in the 2006 Fiesta Conference (4–2), lost a dramatic seven-game series to in the 2006–07 Philippine Cup after rallying from an 0–2 deficit, and triumphed over Air21 Express in the 2008 Fiesta Conference (4–3), their third straight appearance. These runs highlighted the team's resilience but also exposed vulnerabilities, such as depth issues and the physical toll of extended playoffs. Coaching transitions added to the challenges, with assuming the head role in 2006 after Siot Tanquingcen's tenure, bringing tactical discipline from his successful San Miguel stint but facing scrutiny amid uneven results. The rivalry with sister franchise intensified during this stretch, fueled by shared corporate ownership yet fierce on-court battles, exemplified by the 2006–07 Philippine finals where San Miguel's experience prevailed in a series defined by comeback and high stakes. Persistent injuries, including recurring ailments for core players, and multiple coaching adjustments contributed to the transitional instability, preventing sustained dominance despite flashes of brilliance. The 2011–12 season capped era, featuring a Governors' championship triumph over Petron Blaze (4–2) with Nate Brumfield earning Best honors, though the team exited early in the Philippine ; this success preceded LA Tenorio's arrival via a blockbuster five-team trade in August 2012, bridging to the franchise's next chapter.

Cone Era and Recent Dominance (2012–present)

The era began with a significant rebranding in 2012, when the team adopted the name Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, reflecting its deep ties to the community and the San Miguel Corporation's flagship brand. This change coincided with a blockbuster five-team trade on August 31, 2012, that brought veteran point guard to the franchise from in exchange for and other assets, bolstering the backcourt leadership amid ongoing transitional struggles. Tenorio's arrival provided stability and playmaking prowess, setting the stage for future contention as he quickly integrated into the team's culture. The franchise further strengthened its core in the 2015 PBA Draft by selecting dynamic guard Scottie Thompson fifth overall, a move that addressed speed and defensive versatility needs while injecting youthful energy into the roster. Later that year, on July 23, 2015, was officially introduced as head coach, transferring from (formerly Purefoods) to helm Barangay Ginebra and restore its championship pedigree with his tactical acumen and 18 prior PBA titles. Under Cone's guidance, the team embarked on a dominant run, securing the 2016 Governors' Cup by defeating in seven games, ending an eight-year drought; the 2017 Governors' Cup against TNT in five games; the 2018 Philippine Cup over Magnolia in five; the 2019–20 Philippine Cup versus TNT 4-2 in six games amid the bubble format; and the 2022–23 Commissioner's Cup by outlasting Bay Area in seven games. These victories, powered by import Justin Brownlee's scoring and rebounding alongside locals like Tenorio and Thompson, established a dynasty marked by resilience and strategic depth. The 2023–24 season highlighted both triumphs and setbacks, with Barangay Ginebra reaching the Commissioner's Cup finals but falling to TNT in seven games, a grueling series that tested their endurance. Challenges persisted in the 2023 All-Filipino Conference, where they advanced to the semifinals as the third seed but lost 1-3 to San Miguel, exposing vulnerabilities in matchup execution. disruptions notably affected the 2020 and 2021 seasons, forcing play in a bubble with strict protocols that suspended normal operations and limited fan engagement, yet Ginebra adapted to claim the 2019–20 Philippine Cup title. Entering 2025, Justin Brownlee's involvement drew attention amid his diagnosis sidelining him temporarily and rumors of an EASL stint with rival , prompting contingency planning for the Philippine Cup where Ginebra notched an early win over NLEX on November 2.

Franchise Identity

Ownership and Sponsorship Evolution

The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel franchise entered the (PBA) in 1979 under the ownership of La Tondeña, Inc., initially sponsored by Gilbey's International as the Gilbey's Gin team. This partnership marked the team's early years, with La Tondeña serving as the corporate franchise holder while leveraging the international gin brand for sponsorship. In 1985, after negotiations between Gilbey's International and La Tondeña, the team transitioned to the moniker, directly tying its identity to La Tondeña's leading liquor product and establishing red and white as its consistent team colors. This shift solidified the franchise's alignment with local beverage branding. The acquisition of La Tondeña by (SMC) in 1987 further integrated the team into SMC's portfolio, renaming the distillery La Tondeña Distillers, Inc. (LTDI) and enhancing its operational resources within the conglomerate. Subsequent sponsorship evolutions reflected SMC's diverse alcohol brands, with the team rebranded as Añejo Rum 65 from 1988 to 1990 to promote the line, followed by returns to in 1991–1993. In 1994–1995, it became Tondeña 65 Rhum Masters amid efforts to refresh the franchise's image, and from 1996 to 1997, it operated as Boars to spotlight the gin portfolio. By 1999, the name stabilized as Ginebra Kings, emphasizing community ties while retaining San Miguel branding. Post-2012, the franchise fully integrated under SMC as Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, with ownership vested in Ginebra San Miguel, Inc. (GSMI, formerly LTDI), a direct of SMC. This structure has enabled substantial financial support, with SMC allocating approximately 1 billion annually across its three PBA teams—including Ginebra—for operations, player salaries, and facilities as of 2023, sustaining competitive depth through 2025.

Nicknames, Culture, and Fanbase

The franchise's nicknames have evolved alongside its sponsorship and branding changes. Initially entering the (PBA) as Gilbey's Gin in 1979, the team was commonly referred to as the Gimlets from 1979 to 1983, reflecting its gin-based sponsorship. In 1984, following a , it adopted the Tonics moniker for that season before transitioning to . The name Ginebra Kings was introduced in 1999, emphasizing a community-oriented identity, and persisted until 2012 when the team reverted to its current full designation, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, to align with the parent company's branding. Central to the team's identity is the "Never Say Die" slogan, which originated in during a dramatic comeback victory that epitomized the squad's resilient spirit under coach . This phrase, born from that pivotal game, has become a cultural in Philippine , symbolizing perseverance and inspiring fans and athletes across various disciplines to embody unyielding in the face of adversity. Barangay Ginebra boasts one of the largest and most passionate fanbases in professional , known as the "Ginebra ," which draws widespread support from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and consistently packs arenas. The team holds multiple PBA attendance records, including the all-time high of 54,589 spectators at the during the 2023 Commissioner's Cup Finals Game 7 against Bay Area. This fervent following fuels intense rivalries, notably the Manila Clasico against (formerly Purefoods), characterized by high-stakes clashes and deep historical animosity, and the sibling rivalry with , marked by frequent finals matchups within the family. As of 2025, the team's community initiatives emphasize unity and heroism through campaigns like "Kabayani Kita sa One Ginebra Nation," a thematic drive launched to foster national pride and fan engagement via merchandise, events, and digital outreach. This effort builds on the franchise's tradition of fan meets and global exhibitions, such as the October 2025 PBA game in , where players interacted with overseas supporters. Media presence remains robust, with official social media channels amassing over 600,000 followers and active updates, amplifying the "" ethos through highlights, player stories, and live interactions to sustain the Ginebra Nation's global connection.

Personnel

Current Roster and Key Players

As of November 2025, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel's active roster for the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup features a balanced mix of veterans, imports, and recent draft additions, with 14 players available following mid-season transactions. The team relies on its core starters for leadership and scoring, while depth players provide versatility amid ongoing injury challenges. The starting lineup typically includes Scottie Thompson, who orchestrates the offense with his playmaking and defensive prowess; shooting guard Stephen Holt, acquired in a prior trade and contributing steady perimeter shooting; Jeremiah Gray, a key scorer and rebounder; Troy Rosario, providing frontcourt scoring and rebounding; and Japeth Aguilar, anchoring the defense with his shot-blocking ability. Key bench contributors include shooting guard/small forward Jamie Malonzo, known for his athleticism and three-point shooting; Christian Standhardinger, a threat on both ends; and import forward Justin Brownlee, who serves as the primary scoring option with his all-around game. Veteran LA Tenorio remains a crucial reserve, offering experience and clutch play despite reduced minutes. Recent additions from the September 2025 PBA Draft bolster the roster's youth movement, with first-round pick Sonny Estil (No. 11 overall) adding wing depth as a versatile forward. In October 2025, Ginebra executed a significant trade, sending guards and to Terrafirma in exchange for the Dyip's first-round pick in the 2026 draft, aiming to position for a high selection in the next rookie class. No further mid-season acquisitions have been reported as of November 16. Injuries have impacted depth, notably with forward Isaac Go sidelined on the injured reserve list due to a knee issue, limiting frontcourt options and forcing reliance on Aguilar and Standhardinger for extended minutes. Other rotation players include guards RJ Abarrientos and John Pinto for speed off the bench, forward Ralph Cu for defensive intensity, and rookie center Sidney Onosio for size in limited roles.
No.PlayerPositionHeightNotes
1PF6'7"Starter, key rebounder
2SF6'5"Starter, primary scorer
4PG5'11"Reserve guard, rookie standout
5Sonny EstilSG/SF6'4"Rookie, wing depth
9Scottie ThompsonPG6'1"Starter, team captain
10John PintoSG6'3"Bench contributor
12PG6'0"Veteran reserve
14Stephen HoltSG6'4"Starter, perimeter threat
17SF6'7"Sixth man, athletic wing
18Ralph CuSG6'2"Defensive specialist
21PF6'8"Reserve big, all-around
22SF6'5"Import, leading scorer
25C6'9"Starter, defensive anchor
30Sidney OnosioC6'8"Rookie, limited minutes

Coaching History and Current Staff

The coaching history of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel began with Filomeno "Pilo" Pumaren as the franchise's inaugural head coach when it entered the (PBA) in 1979, guiding the team through its initial seasons as Gilbey's Gin. Subsequent early coaches included Nemie Villegas and Turo Valenzona, who led the team until 1984, laying the groundwork for its competitive identity amid modest results in the league's formative years. Robert Jaworski assumed the role of in 1984 and held it until 1998, a transformative era that defined the team's "" ethos and delivered four PBA championships, including the 1986 Open Conference, 1988 All-Filipino, 1991 Third Conference, and 1997 All-Filipino. His tenure emphasized relentless competitiveness and fan engagement, elevating Ginebra to a perennial contender despite frequent finals appearances. Following Jaworski's retirement, became head coach around 2002 and served until 2012, steering the to two championships: the 2007 Philippine Cup and the 2008-09 Fiesta Conference. Uichico's period focused on defensive structures and roster integration during transitional challenges, though the faced extended title droughts. Interim and short-term coaches, including (2000-2002), Rino Salazar, Siot Tanquingcen (2011-2012), and (2013), bridged the gap but yielded no additional titles. Tim Cone was appointed head coach in July 2015, marking a new era of dominance for the franchise. Under Cone, Ginebra has secured seven PBA championships: the 2016 and 2017 Governors' Cups, 2018 Commissioner's Cup, 2019 Governors' Cup, 2020 Philippine Cup, 2022 Governors' Cup, and 2023 Commissioner's Cup. His tactical innovations, particularly the implementation of the —a system emphasizing spacing, reads, and player movement—have been pivotal in revitalizing the team's offensive efficiency and adapting to modern PBA playstyles. Cone's approach prioritizes system discipline over individual stardom, contributing to over 1,000 career wins and multiple Coach of the Year honors. As of November 2025, Cone remains the head coach, supported by a seasoned staff that includes lead assistant Richard del Rosario, who oversees defensive strategies and player development since 2015; Olsen Racela, focusing on offensive schemes and scouting; Johnny Abarrientos, handling skills training and team morale; and Patrick Partosa, managing analytics and video breakdown. Additional support comes from Freddie Abuda in conditioning and Kirk Collier in import integration, ensuring a balanced operation amid the demands of PBA Season 50. This current setup reflects Cone's emphasis on continuity and specialized roles to sustain Ginebra's competitive edge.

Management and Executives

The management of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel is led by , who has served as team manager and PBA governor since July 2013, when appointed him to the role following his stint as team consultant and interim head coach. In addition to his duties with Ginebra, Chua oversees the sports group as its director, providing strategic direction for the conglomerate's PBA franchises, including player development, contract negotiations, and alignment with corporate sponsorship goals. His leadership has emphasized building a competitive roster through targeted drafts and trades, such as the 2024 selection of guard with the third overall pick, whom Chua compared to longtime star for his playmaking potential. Chua's tenure has also involved key financial decisions, leveraging SMC's resources to maintain a robust budget for import signings in import-laden conferences, ensuring the team remains a title contender. Assisting Chua is Raymond Rodriguez, who has held the position of assistant team manager since at least 2017, supporting operations in areas like , player welfare, and negotiations. Rodriguez played a role in confirming contract extensions and roster adjustments, such as the 2017 re-signing of forward amid efforts to stabilize the frontline. Under the duo's guidance, notable front-office moves include the October 2025 trade of guards and to in exchange for a valuable first-round draft pick, a decision aimed at refreshing the backcourt while capitalizing on future draft assets. Chua's executive acumen has earned him the PBA Executive of the Year award three times (2018, 2022, 2024), recognizing his contributions to Ginebra's sustained success and SMC's broader sports portfolio. Prior to Chua's appointment, the team's management underwent several transitions, with Allan Caidic serving as team manager from 2004 to 2007 after his promotion from , during which he focused on integrating veteran players into a rebuilding phase. This period marked a shift toward administrative stability under SMC oversight, setting the stage for the franchise's modern front-office structure. Overall, Ginebra's executives operate within the framework, where president Ramon S. Ang provides high-level guidance on finances and long-term vision, ensuring the team's alignment with the parent company's branding and investment priorities.

Achievements and Records

Championships and Major Titles

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel has secured 15 PBA championships since its inception, placing second in the league's all-time titles behind with 29. The franchise has reached the finals 28 times as of 2025, demonstrating consistent playoff success with a win percentage of approximately 55.8% across 162 playoff games. These titles span various conferences, often featuring dramatic series against rivals like TNT and , with several Finals MVPs emerging from the team's ranks during championship runs. The complete list of championships is as follows:
YearConferenceOpponentSeries ScoreFinals MVP
1986OpenManila Beer4–1Robert Jaworski
1988All-FilipinoPurefoods Hotdogs3–1Unknown (pre-award era)
1988PBA-IBAAlaska MilkmenOne-game (128–126)N/A (invitational)
1991FirstShell4–2Dindo Pumol
1997Commissioner'sPurefoods4–2Emanual Davis
2004FiestaTalk 'N Text4–2Jay Washington
2004–05PhilippineSan Miguel4–1Eric Menk (verified via ESPN reports)
2006–07PhilippineSan Miguel4–1Mark Caguioa
2008FiestaAir214–2Jayjay Helterbrand
2016–17Governors'TNT4–1LA Tenorio
2017–18Commissioner'sAlaska4–1Justin Brownlee
2019Governors'Meralco4–1Scottie Thompson
2020PhilippineTNT4–1LA Tenorio
2021Governors'Meralco4–2Scottie Thompson
2022–23Commissioner'sBay Area4–3Justin Brownlee
Notable Finals MVPs include , who earned the honor twice in Governors' and Philippine Cup triumphs, and Scottie Thompson, recognized for his defensive prowess in back-to-back Governors' Cup victories. has been instrumental as an import, securing two Finals MVP awards in import-laden conferences. These achievements highlight the team's resilience, particularly under coach since 2015, who has led six of the last nine titles.

Individual and Team Awards

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel players have earned numerous individual accolades throughout the franchise's history, with four players securing the prestigious PBA (MVP) award. won the 2004–05 MVP, leading the team to a championship while averaging dominant double-doubles. claimed the honor in 2008–09, capping a career defined by clutch performances and playmaking. won his MVP in 2011–12, emerging as the league's top scorer and energizer after a strong Governors' Cup campaign. Most recently, Scottie Thompson captured the 2021–22 MVP, becoming the first self-proclaimed role player to win the award while guiding Ginebra to a title.
YearPlayerPosition
2004–05Forward
2008–09Guard
2011–12Guard
2021–22Scottie ThompsonGuard
Mythical Team selections highlight the franchise's consistent excellence, with players frequently earning spots on the annual First and Second Teams for their statistical dominance and impact. Jaworski garnered six Mythical First Team nods, including in 1986 when he anchored Ginebra's defense during a championship run. Caguioa earned three First Team and two Second Team honors, with his 2009 selection recognizing his explosive scoring amid a resurgent season. Thompson continued this tradition, making the Mythical First Team in 2022–23 and the Second Team in Season 49 (2024–25), where his versatility in steals and assists stood out. Defensive prowess has also been rewarded, with players like Thompson earning multiple All-Defensive Team selections, contributing to Ginebra's reputation for gritty play. All-Star appearances underscore the star power, with Thompson starting for the North team at the 2025 PBA Weekend in Passi City, Iloilo, where he dazzled with highlight-reel steals and dunks. On the team front, Barangay Ginebra has been honored for its sportsmanship, with players like Scottie Thompson winning the Sportsmanship Award in 2020 for exemplifying fair play and respect amid intense rivalries. The franchise's culture of resilience and integrity has led to multiple such nods, reinforcing its status as a model of in the PBA.

Season-by-Season Performance Summary

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel's performance across PBA seasons reflects a franchise with consistent playoff contention, particularly in the and , interspersed with rebuilding phases. The team, founded as Gilbey's Gin in , has participated in all 46 full seasons through 2024, accumulating over 1,000 wins and reaching the 27 times as of 2023. Performance is typically measured by conference records in the elimination round (), followed by playoff outcomes in semifinals and where applicable. Win percentages have varied, peaking at .714 in the 1986-87 during their era and averaging .550 overall through 2019. The franchise's early years (1979-1989) established it as a fan favorite with high-energy play, posting a cumulative .580 win percentage and securing four titles. Standout seasons include 1986, where they went 13-5 in the Open Conference elimination round before winning the 4-1 against Manila Beer. In 1988, Ginebra achieved a strong record in the All-Filipino Conference, winning the title 3-1 over Purefoods. The saw semifinal or better appearances in 8 of 11 seasons. The marked a transitional period with three championships but inconsistent regular-season results, averaging .500 wins amid coaching changes and player retirements. A low point came in 1993 with a 9-26 overall record across conferences, failing to reach in two. However, 1991 saw a : 10-6 in the First ( 4-2 over Shell). By 1997, under coach , they posted 11-5 in the All-Filipino, but the Commissioner's came later that year 4-2 against Purefoods. Entering the 2000s, Ginebra experienced a championship drought until 2004, with win percentages dipping below .450 in seasons like 2002 (8-22 overall). The 2004-05 season revived fortunes with a 10-6 elimination record in the Fiesta Conference, clinching the title 4-2 over Talk 'N Text via import play. The 2010s brought resurgence under , averaging .600 wins and five titles, including a 2016-17 Governors' Cup run (10-4 elimination overall, champions 4-1 over TNT). In 2018, they finished strong across conferences, winning the Commissioner's Cup 4-1 over . The 2020s have seen sustained excellence with three championships by 2023 (2020 Philippine, 2021 Governors', 2022-23 Commissioner's), maintaining .580 average wins. The 2019-20 season ended with a Philippine Cup title (10-2 elimination, 4-1 finals over TNT). In 2021, Ginebra went 9-3 in the Governors' Cup, defeating 4-2 for the crown. In 2023-24, Ginebra posted an 8-3 elimination record in the Philippine Cup but lost 3-4 to in the semifinals; they reached playoffs in other conferences but no further titles. The 2024-25 season saw continued contention without new championships, including a Governors' Cup finals loss to TNT (2-4).
EraSeasonsAvg. Win %ChampionshipsNotable Placement Example
1979-198911.58041986 Open: 13-5 elim., 1st place, champions
1990-199910.50031991 First: 10-6 elim., 2nd place, champions
2000-200910.48012004 Fiesta: 10-6 elim., 3rd place, champions
2010-201910.60052017 Governors': 10-4 elim. overall, champions
2020-20245.58032020 Philippine: 10-2 elim., 1st place, champions
As of November 16, 2025, in the ongoing 2025 (Season 50), Barangay Ginebra holds a 2-4 elimination round record, placing 8th, with wins over TNT (92-77) and NLEX (104-74), but losses to (73-80), Converge, San Miguel, and Phoenix. The conference remains in progress, with playoffs pending. Overall trends show peak performance in title eras (e.g., .650+ win % in championship conferences), with 85% playoff qualification rate since 2010, underscoring their status as a perennial contender.

Notable Figures and Legacy

PBA Hall of Famers and Retired Numbers

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel has produced several inductees into the (PBA) Hall of Fame, recognizing their exceptional contributions to the league, particularly during their tenures with the franchise. The Hall of Fame honors players, coaches, and executives who have demonstrated outstanding performance, leadership, and impact, typically requiring retirement from active play and a review by a selection committee based on criteria such as championships won, individual awards like (MVP), and statistical milestones achieved in the PBA. Robert Jaworski, the iconic "Living Legend," was part of the inaugural 2005 induction class, celebrated for his revolutionary playing style, nine championships with Ginebra (including the 1986 Open Conference and the 1988 Grand Slam), and his 1978 MVP award, all of which defined the team's early success and fanbase culture. His induction highlighted his 21-year PBA career, where he amassed over 9,000 points and earned 12 Mythical First Team selections, with much of his legacy tied to leading Ginebra through intense rivalries. Francis Arnaiz, known as "The Mazuzu," was also inducted in the inaugural 2005 class, honored for his scoring ability and contributions to Ginebra's rise in the . Arnaiz played 12 seasons with the franchise (1982–1993), helping secure three championships, including the 1986 Open and the 1988 Grand Slam, while earning three Mythical Team selections and establishing himself as a key offensive weapon alongside Jaworski. Allan Caidic, known as "The Triggerman," joined the Hall in 2009 as part of the third batch, lauded for his sharpshooting prowess and role in Ginebra's 1988 Grand Slam alongside Jaworski, contributing to three championships during his 1987–1992 stint with the team before moving to San Miguel. Caidic's credentials included a 1990 MVP, six Mythical First Team nods, and a record-setting 55-point game in 1991, underscoring his impact on Ginebra's offensive identity. In addition to Hall of Fame honors, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel retires jersey numbers to permanently honor players who have made indelible marks on the franchise through longevity, leadership, and championship contributions, a decision made by team management to preserve their legacy. The No. 7 jersey, worn by throughout his Ginebra career from 1979 to 1997, was retired on July 8, 2012, during a special ceremony at , symbolizing his foundational role in establishing the team's "" ethos and guiding them to nine titles. No. 8, donned by from 1987 to 1992, was retired in 2000 following his announcement of retirement from the PBA, paying tribute to his clutch performances, including key shots in playoff wins, and his status as a three-time during his Ginebra years.

Iconic Players and Imports

Anthony "Jayjay" Helterbrand emerged as a cornerstone of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel during the , renowned for his explosive speed and playmaking as the team's primary . Helterbrand, who joined the franchise in 2000, led Ginebra to multiple championships, including the 2004 Fiesta Conference and the 2004–05 Philippine Cup, where his quick transitions and scoring ability were pivotal. In the 2008–09 season, he earned the PBA Most Valuable Player award, averaging 15.3 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game, while also securing a spot on the Mythical First Team. Helterbrand contributed to six PBA titles overall with Ginebra, highlighting his role in revitalizing the team's fast-break style during a dominant era. Mark Caguioa, often called "The Spark," complemented Helterbrand in the 2000s backcourt, forming one of the league's most dynamic duos with his scoring prowess and defensive tenacity. Drafted first overall in 2001, Caguioa spent his entire 20-year career with Ginebra, amassing over 10,000 points and reaching the milestone in a 2018 Governors' Cup game against NLEX. His highlights include a career-high 43 points in a 2006 Philippine Cup finals game and earning three Mythical First Team selections, including in 2012 when he also won MVP honors. Caguioa helped secure nine championships, with his clutch performances, such as in the 2016 Governors' Cup, underscoring his enduring impact on the franchise. In the 2010s and 2020s, anchored Ginebra's frontcourt with his versatility and rebounding dominance until his retirement in 2024. Acquired via trade in 2021, Standhardinger quickly became a key contributor, helping lead the team to the 2021 Governors' Cup and the 2022–23 Commissioner's Cup titles, where he was named Finals MVP after averaging 20.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in the series against Bay Area. Through 2024, he posted multiple 30-plus point games, including a 36-point outing against , solidifying his status as a machine and all-around force for the Gin Kings. Among notable imports, Chris King powered Ginebra through the late , particularly as (the team's prior moniker), blending scoring and rebounding to secure the 1997 Commissioner's Cup championship. Standing at 6'8", King averaged 25.4 points and 15.2 rebounds in against San Miguel, earning Best Import honors and helping end a title drought. His physical presence and mid-range game made him a fan favorite during a transitional period for the franchise. Justin Brownlee stands as the most impactful import in recent history, joining Ginebra in 2016 and leading them to six championships between 2016 and 2023, including four Governors' Cups (2016, 2017, 2018, 2023). Brownlee's signature buzzer-beating threes, such as the game-winner against Meralco in the 2024 quarterfinals, have defined clutch moments, while his all-around stats—averaging 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+ assists in multiple finals—earned him multiple Best Import awards. By 2023, he tied the PBA record for most titles by an import, cementing his legacy as Ginebra's go-to star in title runs.

Cultural Impact and Rivalries

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel has significantly contributed to the popularization of the (PBA) through its high television viewership, often leading league ratings. In PBA Season 49, Ginebra's games consistently topped the charts, with the TNT-Ginebra Finals Game 7 drawing a peak of 7.0 percent household ratings, equivalent to approximately five million viewers nationwide. This dominance in ratings underscores the team's role in sustaining the PBA's status as the top sports brand in the , attracting broad audiences and boosting the league's commercial appeal. The team's "Never Say Die" mantra, originating from a dramatic 1985 Reinforced Conference game against Northern Cement, has evolved into a national ethos symbolizing resilience in Philippine and beyond. This spirit, embodied in comeback victories and unyielding play, permeates Filipino sports culture, inspiring fans and players alike as a core element of the PBA's identity. It reflects Ginebra's narrative, fostering a connection with everyday and embedding the team in the country's collective sporting consciousness. Ginebra's major rivalries have intensified its cultural footprint, starting with intense clashes against Crispa and in the , which highlighted the era's competitive fervor as Ginebra emerged as a challenger to established powers. In the , the rivalry with Purefoods—known as the precursor to the Clasico—pitted icons like against , creating heated matchups that defined the decade's drama and drew massive crowds. The ongoing "beer rivalry" with , both under the umbrella, continues as a sibling-like contest, exemplified by their intense elimination round matchup in on October 26, 2025, for the PBA's 50th anniversary. Media portrayals have cemented Ginebra's legacy as the "people's team," with documentaries like the 2025 episode "Lahing Ginebra: The Origins of Barangay Ginebra" chronicling its rise from humble beginnings to a symbol of national pride. Fan events in 2025, including meet-and-greets in and the historic Dubai game on October 26, further engaged the global Filipino , reinforcing the team's role as a unifying force in culture. This enduring appeal positions Ginebra as more than a franchise—it's a cultural that mirrors the passion and perseverance of its supporters.

References

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