PBA retraces Father’s Day triumphs

Meralco has a golden opportunity to capture the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in time for Father’s Day as it currently holds a 3-2 lead in its championship series with San Miguel Beer.

In the storied history of the PBA, only Tanduay and Alaska came close to clinching their PBA titles on Father’s Day.

The Rhum Makers were able to win both the 1986 PBA Reinforced Conference and 1987 PBA Open Conference at the expense of Great Taste.

Behind imports Rob Williams and Andre Mckoy, Tanduay finished the series 4-2 against the Coffee Makers on 17 June, two days after Father’s Day that year.

In the 1987 PBA Open Conference, it only took Tanduay five games to re-asset its mastery over Great Taste with then up-and-coming guard Allan Caidic in the PBA finals behind Best Import of the Conference David Thirdkill as that conference ended on 23 June.

PBA legends Freddie Hubalde and Ramon Fernandez were at the forefront of the Rhum Makers’ Father’s Day championships.

In the 2000 PBA All-Filipino Cup, Alaska won 4-1 over Purefoods and clinched Game 5 on 11 June, a week before Father’s Day commenced.

With Don Allado, Bong Hawkins, Dino Aldeguer, Rodney Santos, Johnny Abarrientos and now Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League commissioner Kenneth Duremdes, the Milkmen looked unstoppable under the brilliant mind of head coach Tim Cone against the crew of Alvin Patrimonio, EJ Feihl, Dindo Pumaren, Richard Yee and Boyet Fernandez.