1997 PBA Season - Season Highlights

Season Highlights

• The entry of Fil-Americans in the PBA, for the first time in league history, the top two picks of the Annual Rookie draft was born outside the Philippines, the 6-9 Andrew John Seigle, a discovery of coach Tommy Manotoc, and Nicanor Belasco was selected at numbers one and two, respectively.
• Former national coach Ron Jacobs returned to the bench as the new head coach of San Miguel Beer, replacing Norman Black, who resigned and moved over to the Mobiline franchise.
• Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys and Gordon's Gin Boars (formerly Ginebra) played in the All-Filipino Cup finals, only the second time the two rivals meet in a championship series, Gordon's playing coach Sonny Jaworski became the oldest player to play in a PBA finals series at age 51. Purefoods rookie coach Eric Altamirano won his first title as a head mentor.
• Gordon's Gin Boars finally ended a six years title-drought for the La Tondeña franchise by winning the Commissioner's Cup title over defending champion, Alaska Milk.
• Alaska Milk retains the Governor's Cup title for the fourth straight time, and defended the only crown left in their grandslam conquest last season. Alaska overtakes the defunct Presto franchise as the fourth winningest ballclub in the PBA.
• Alvin Patrimonio won his fourth MVP award, tying El Presidente, Ramon Fernandez for the most number of the league's highest honors.