1998 Gordon's Gin Boars season

1998   Gordon's Gin Boars season
Head coach	Robert Jaworski
Owner(s)	La Tondeña Distillers Inc.
All-Filipino Cup results
Record	7–14 (33.3%)
Place	6th
Playoff finish	Semifinals
Commissioner's Cup results
Record	4–7 (36.4%)
Place	7th
Playoff finish	Eliminated
Governors Cup results
Record	7–8 (46.7%)
Place	6th
Playoff finish	Eliminated
Gordon's Gin Boars seasons
←  1997 1999  →

The 1998 Gordon's Gin Boars season was the 20th season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The team revert to their former name Ginebra starting the Commissioner's Cup.

1998 PBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	8	Steven Smith		United States	US International
2	16	Erwin Framo		Philippines	University of Manila

Summary

The All-Filipino Cup runner-up Gordon's Gin Boars had only Paul Alvarez as their newly acquired player, whom they got from sister team San Miguel Beermen when they traded their first round pick Steven Smith. The Boars won three of their first four games in the season. ^[1] They finished with five wins and six losses after the eliminations and tied with three other teams. The Boars placed last among the six semifinalist, winning only two out of their 10 outings. ^[2]

Import Chris King was recalled back for the Commissioner's Cup. The defending champions failed to defend their crown and had to win their last game against Sta.Lucia to tie the Realtors at the bottom of the standings with four wins and seven losses. Chris King already left and was replaced by Mike Cumberland in their last game in the eliminations.

In the special conference called Centennial Cup, Ginebra had the best record of six wins and two losses, the Gin Kings lost to Formula Shell in a one-game semifinal playoff.

Import problems bugged them virtually in the two-import conference from the Centennial Cup to the Governors Cup, starting with their original choices Dennis Edwards and John Strickland. After three games, Strickland was replaced by Frank Western, who played eight games while Edwards saw action in 12 games. After a four-game losing streak, Western and Edwards were replaced by Wayman Strickland and DeWayne Wesley. After one forgettable outing in Ginebra's 79–90 loss to Sta.Lucia in Urdaneta, Pangasinan, Wesley was sent home and coming in was Joe Wylie, who played three games. Ginebra won only once in the Governors Cup and in a desperate bid to gain a seat in the semifinal round, coach Jaworski signed up Kenny Payne, the Philadelphia 76ers' 1st round pick in the NBA in 1989, and former Portland Trail Blazer Rick Brunson, going into their last game against Formula Shell on November 6, Payne and Brunson combined for 58 points but the Ginebras still lost, 97–107.

Occurrences

On March 31, the Living Legend of Philippine Basketball, Robert Jaworski announced he was taking a leave of absence to concentrate on the campaign trail where the Big J is running for senator in the coming Philippine presidential elections in May. Jaworski won his new ballgame in politics and claimed a seat in the Philippine Senate after the elections.

The season ended for Ginebra with Senator Robert Jaworski resigning from the La Tondeña ballclub during a press conference held in December, ending a partnership that lasted for 14 years in protest over the company's non-consultation of him in certain matters regarding the team, it all started when management accepted Allan Caidic from San Miguel Beermen as assistant playing coach without consulting the former Ginebra playing coach.

Roster

Ginebra San Miguel roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. G 1 David, Bal 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 148 lb (67 kg) UST F 6 Locsin, Noli 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 250 lb (113 kg) De La Salle G/F 11 Gayoso, Jayvee 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Ateneo G 12 Hizon, Vince 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Ateneo C 13 Aquino, Marlou 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Adamson F 16 Cheng, Benny 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Mapúa F 17 Saldaña, Antero 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Letran F/C 18 Ong, Wilmer 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 245 lb (111 kg) USLS SF 23 Alvarez, Paul 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg) San Sebastian G 25 Jarencio, Pido 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) UST C 44 Bolado, Chris 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) G 52 Jaworski, Jr., Robert 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Ateneo	Head coach Robert Jaworski Assistant coach(es) Rino Salazar Philip Cezar Legend (C) Team captain (I) Import Injured

Transactions

Trades

Off-season	To San Miguel Steven Smith	To Gordon's Gin Paul Alvarez

Recruited Imports

Tournament	Name	Number	Position	University/College
Commissioner's Cup	Chris King	3	F	Wake Forest
	Mike Cumberland			Pepperdine
Governors' Cup	Dennis Edwards			Fort Hayes State
	John Strickland			Hawaii Pacific
	Frank Western			Providence
	DeWayne Wesley	12	G	U of New Orleans
	Wayman Strickland		F	U of San Diego
	Joe Wylie	10	G	U of Miami
	Kenny Payne	21	F	U of Louisville
	Rick Brunson		G	Temple

References

1. "Alvarez shines as Gordon's rips Pop". Manila Standard.
2. "When Jaworski and his Boars put their minds to it". Manila Standard.