2001 San Miguel Beermen season

2001   San Miguel Beermen season
Head coach	Jong Uichico
General Manager	Robert Non [1]
Owner	San Miguel Corporation
All-Filipino Cup results
Record	17–9 (65.4%)
Place	2nd seed
Playoff finish	Champions
Commissioner's Cup results
Record	12–8 (60%)
Place	1st seed
Playoff finish	Runner-up
Governors Cup results
Record	13–12 (52%)
Place	4th seed
Playoff finish	Runner-up
San Miguel Beermen seasons
←  2000 2002  →

The 2001 San Miguel Beermen season was the 27th season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Draft picks

Main article: 2001 PBA Draft

Transactions

Players Added Via Draft Joey Mente Via Free Agency Henry Fernandez (From Pop Cola) Arnold Gamboa (Comebacking SMB player, last played in the MBA) Dorian Peña (Signed on April 11, recruited from the MBA) [2]

Players Lost Via Free Agency June Carmona Ronilo Padilla Via Retirement Arturo dela Cruz

Championship (finals stint)

The San Miguel Beermen contested for all three championships of the season. The Beermen won their 16th PBA title in the All-Filipino Cup by defeating Barangay Ginebra Kings in six games as they are now winners of five of the last six conferences.

Main article: 2001 PBA All-Filipino Cup finals

In the Commissioner's Cup, San Miguel advances to the finals by winning over Alaska Aces, three games to two, in their best-of-five semifinal series. As the odds-on favorite against sophomore team Batang Red Bull, who were making their first trip to the championship, the defending champion Beermen were surprisingly upset by the Thunder in six games. It was coach Jong Uichico's first loss in the PBA finals since handling the Beermen at the start of the 1999 season.

San Miguel was back in the finals for the fifth straight conference in the season-ending Governor's Cup with import Lamont Strothers returning to help the Beermen defend the crown they won the past two seasons. San Miguel make it to the semifinals with a seven wins and six loss tied with Pop Cola Panthers. Starting the semifinal round, San Miguel and Shell Turbo Chargers battled it out for the second finals berth after the Sta. Lucia Realtors advances first. On December 2, the Beermen outlasted Shell in overtime, 92-88, for their third straight finals appearance, via played the Sta.Lucia Realtors for the second time in the championship of the 2000 era. The Beermen lost to the Realtors in six games and placed runner-up in the last two conferences of the 2001 season.

Award

Danny Ildefonso won the Most Valuable Player trophy for the second straight time and becoming the third PBA player to win back-to-back MVP honors, joining William "Bogs" Adornado (1975–1976) and Alvin Patrimonio (1993–1994).

Roster

2001 San Miguel Beermen roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. # POB Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From G 1 Emmanuel Victoria 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) San Beda C 3 Nic Belasco 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Notre Dame (OH) C 6 Dorian Peña 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Coppin State F 7 Michael Mustre 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Letran F/C 10 Danny Ildefonso 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) National-U F 15 Dwight Lago 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) De La Salle G 17 Olsen Racela 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Ateneo G 21 Joey Mente 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Lyceum F/C 22 Arnold Gamboa 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Far Eastern F 25 Freddie Abuda 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Visayas F Henry Fernandez 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Visayas F 32 Rob Duat 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Menlo F 42 Danny Seigle 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Wagner F 24 Nate Johnson  (C) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Louisville G 33 Lamont Strothers  (G) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Christopher Newport

Head coach Jong Uichico Assistant(s) Siot Tanquingcen Arturo Dela Cruz Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended (C) Commissioner's Cup import (G) Governor's Cup import Injured

Eliminations (won games)

DATE	OPPONENT	SCORE	VENUE (Location)
January 31	Brgy.Ginebra	92–88	Philsports Arena
February 4	Sta.Lucia	89–76 [3]	Araneta Coliseum
February 11	Pop Cola	85–79	Araneta Coliseum
February 18	Tanduay	96–79	Araneta Coliseum
March 4	Pop Cola	78–63 [4]	Philsports Arena
March 7	Purefoods	90–84 *OT	Ynares Center
March 17	Alaska	85–75	Bago
March 30	Red Bull	78–76	Philsports Arena
April 8	Mobiline	67–66	Araneta Coliseum
June 6	Purefoods	100–80	Philsports Arena
June 9	Shell	81–73	Malolos, Bulacan
June 17	Red Bull	87–83 [5]	Araneta Coliseum
June 22	Mobiline	92–73	Philsports Arena
July 1	Tanduay	95–83	Araneta Coliseum
July 11	Brgy.Ginebra	101–92	Philsports Arena
July 13	Pop Cola	107–76	Philsports Arena
September 12	Purefoods	114–91	Philsports Arena
September 16	Brgy.Ginebra	97–82	Cuneta Astrodome
October 12	Pop Cola	86–84	Cuneta Astrodome
October 14	Tanduay	85–79	Ynares Center
October 21	Alaska	71–64	Araneta Coliseum
October 26	Talk 'N Text	79–75	Philsports Arena
November 11	Sta.Lucia	81–76 [6]	Araneta Coliseum

  All-Filipino Cup  Commissioner's Cup  Governor's Cup

References

1. Henson, Joaquin M. (2003-03-26). "Dream come true". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
2. "San Miguel gets burly Fil-Am". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
3. "Beermen spank Realtors". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
4. "San Miguel bounces back". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
5. "SMB nips Red Bull". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
6. "San Miguel humbles Sta.Lucia Realty". Philippine Daily Inquirer.