I still remember the excitement buzzing through the arena during the 2017 PBA Philippine Cup—the energy was absolutely electric. As someone who's followed Philippine basketball for over a decade, I can confidently say that this particular season had something special brewing, especially when you look at how today's emerging talents were just beginning their journeys back then. While we're focusing on the 2017 schedule, I can't help but draw connections to the current crop of UAAP stars who are now making waves as PBA draft targets—players like La Salle's Mike Phillips, UST's dynamic duo Forthsky Padrigao and Nic Cabanero, UE's John Abate, Adamson's Cedrick Manzano, and UP's trio of Harold Alarcon, Gerry Abadiano, and Terrence Fortea. These names weren't in the professional spotlight back in 2017, but watching their development makes reflecting on that season even more fascinating.
The 2017 Philippine Cup kicked off on November 20, 2016, and ran through February 2017, featuring all twelve PBA teams competing in a thrilling elimination round format. I vividly recall marking my calendar for the key matchups—the first game between Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel Beer on November 27 was an absolute must-watch. What made this tournament stand out was its pure format—no imports, just homegrown talent battling it out. I've always preferred the Philippine Cup over other conferences because it truly tests the depth of local rosters. The elimination rounds were structured into two phases, with teams playing 11 games each in the first phase alone. The math might sound dry, but believe me, every single game mattered when it came to playoff seeding.
Let me paint you a picture of the scene during the December 18 matchup between Alaska and Rain or Shine. The Araneta Coliseum was packed despite it being a weekday, the air thick with anticipation. Alaska was struggling that season, but this game went into double overtime—the kind of basketball that leaves you breathless. Meanwhile, teams like Star Hotshots and TNT KaTropa were dominating the early rounds, each racking up impressive win streaks. I remember thinking how different teams approached their schedules strategically—some coaches would rest key players during back-to-back games while others pushed through, creating dramatic shifts in the standings week to week.
The playoff structure was particularly brutal that year—only eight teams advancing, with the top four getting twice-to-beat advantages. This meant that every regular season game carried enormous weight. I recall arguing with friends about whether the schedule favored certain teams more than others. For instance, San Miguel had a relatively lighter load in January 2017, while teams like GlobalPort had to navigate brutal stretches of three games in eight days. These scheduling quirks often don't get enough attention, but they absolutely impact player fatigue and performance when it matters most.
What's really interesting is comparing the professional landscape of 2017 to the collegiate players who are now draft prospects. Back in 2017, Mike Phillips was probably still adjusting to Philippine basketball after moving from the US, while Forthsky Padrigao and Nic Cabanero were likely dominating high school tournaments. Seeing how these players developed makes me appreciate the PBA's role in shaping basketball careers. The 2017 season featured established stars like June Mar Fajardo and Jayson Castro, but I often wonder how different teams might approach drafting today's UAAP standouts if they could time travel back to that season.
The semifinals format was another highlight—a best-of-seven series that separated the contenders from the pretenders. I'll never forget the marathon series between San Miguel and Star Hotshots that went the full seven games. The schedule had them playing every other day from February 3 to February 17, testing both teams' endurance to the absolute limit. As a fan, it was exhausting just keeping up with all the games, but the basketball was so good you couldn't look away. The championship series itself stretched from March 1 to March 24, with San Miguel eventually claiming victory in six hard-fought games.
Reflecting on that season, I can't help but feel nostalgic for the packed arenas and the raw passion of Philippine basketball before the pandemic changed everything. The 2017 Philippine Cup schedule, with its 98 total games across nearly four months, represented basketball at its most authentic. While we're now looking at potential future stars from the UAAP, that 2017 season reminds me why I fell in love with the PBA in the first place—the relentless schedule, the dramatic ups and downs, and the emergence of homegrown talent that would define Philippine basketball for years to come. If today's collegiate standouts can bring even half the excitement we witnessed back then, Philippine basketball fans are in for quite a treat.
