It was grand slam scored the San Miguel Corporation’s way.
The 43rd season of the PBA saw the three teams under the SMC umbrella each winning a championship to complete a sweep to remember.
San Miguel Beer retained the Philippine Cup title, Barangay Ginebra captured the Commissioner’s Cup championship, and Magnolia Pambansang Manok won the Governors’ Cup crown in a dominant show of force for the proud organization.
It marked the first time in PBA history SMC teams swept all three conferences of the season, a feat many credited largely to the handiwork of sports director Alfrancis Chua, under whose watch all three ballclubs fall under.
For the impressive job he did with the three popular squads, Chua will be conferred by the PBA Press Corps with the Danny Floro Executive Award on Jan. 21 when it observes the 25th anniversary of its Annual Awards Night presented by Cignal TV at the Novotel Manila Araneta Center.
In winning the award named after the amiable and generous late Crispa Redmanizers team owner, Chua joins the ranks of such esteemed personalities like Manny V. Pangilinan, Ramon S. Ang, Wilfred S. Uytengsu, Danding Cojuangco, Raymund Yu and Terry Que, Ricky Vargas, Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios, Rene Pardo, Buddy Encarnado, Elmer Yanga, Simon Mossesgeld, George Chua, and the late Jun Bernardino and Henry Cojuangco, who were all past recipient of the honor handed out by the group of print and online writers covering the PBA beat.
Only the prestigious Virgilio ‘Baby’ Dalupan Coach of the Year is yet to be announced, with Leo Austria, Tim Cone, and Chito Victolero in strong contention for the award bearing the name of the late ‘Maestro’ of Philippine coaching.
In celebration of the silver anniversary of the special affair first held in 1993 at Dona Nenas, the PBAPC is naming its first ever Lifetime Achievement Awardee in the person of Alaska team owner Wilfred S. Uytengsu.
Apart from it, also to be given out are Mr Quality Minutes (Vic Manuel), Defensive Player of the Year (John Paul Erram), Game of the Season (Barangay Ginebra-Rain or Shine 3OT), Breakout Player of the Season (Chris Tiu), Scoring champion (Stanley Pringle), Order of Merit (June Mar Fajardo, Paul Lee, and Manuel), All-Interview Team (Yeng Guiao, Joe Devance, Chris Ross, Mike Digregorio, Christian Standhardinger, and Tiu), and the All-Rookie Team (Jason Perkins, Jeron Teng, Paul Zamar, Robbie Herndon, and Standhardinger).