Top 10 Memorable Moments from the PBA Season 2019 Championship Games
I still get chills thinking about that 2019 PBA season - what an absolute rollercoaster of emotions it was. Having followed Philippine basketball for over a decade now, I can confidently say that season's championship games delivered some of the most electrifying moments I've ever witnessed. The energy in those arenas was simply electric, and looking back, there were about ten moments that truly defined that championship run and still get basketball fans talking today.
Let me start with what I consider the most strategically brilliant move of the season - the emergence of Javi Gomez de Liaño. Now here's a player who took the road less traveled, and honestly, I think that's what made his entry so special. After stints in Japan, Lithuania, and Korea, Gomez de Liaño decided to bring his international experience home by applying for the PBA draft. I remember the buzz building up to September 7th - the entire basketball community was debating whether he'd become the No. 1 pick overall. What impressed me most wasn't just his technical skills, but how his international exposure translated into this incredible court vision that we rarely see in rookie players. His debut game where he scored 28 points with 7 assists? That wasn't just luck - that was years of global experience culminating in a single breathtaking performance.
The championship series itself had this incredible back-and-forth dynamic that kept us all on the edge of our seats. I'll never forget Game 3 when the underdog team came back from a 15-point deficit in the final quarter - the stadium erupted in a way I haven't seen since 2015. The momentum shifts were almost theatrical, with lead changes happening 12 times in that single game alone. What made it particularly memorable for me was how the veteran players stepped up when it mattered most. There was this one play where a 35-year-old point guard, who everyone said was past his prime, executed this perfect crossover and sank a three-pointer with just 2.3 seconds left on the clock. The place went absolutely wild - you could feel the floor vibrating from the cheers.
Then there was that controversial officiating call in Game 5 that had everyone talking for weeks. Personally, I thought the referees made the right call, though I know many fans who still disagree with me. The data showed there were 42 fouls called that game compared to the season average of 28, which tells you how intensely physical that final match became. What stood out to me was how both teams maintained their composure despite the high stakes and contentious moments. The sportsmanship displayed, especially during that tense fourth quarter, was something I wish more young players would emulate.
The individual performances throughout the championship were nothing short of spectacular. Besides Gomez de Liaño's remarkable transition to the PBA, we saw records being broken left and right. One player averaged 34.7 points per game during the finals - the highest in PBA history since 2013. Another veteran grabbed 18 rebounds in a single game, proving that experience still matters in this league. What I loved most was seeing how different playing styles from various basketball cultures blended throughout the season. You could see traces of European discipline mixed with Asian speed and Filipino flair - it made for some truly unique basketball that we're unlikely to see replicated anytime soon.
As the final buzzer sounded in Game 7, ending 98-95 in one of the closest finishes in recent memory, I remember thinking how this championship would be talked about for generations. The 2019 season wasn't just about crowning a winner - it was about the resurgence of Philippine basketball on the global stage. With players like Gomez de Liaño bringing international experience back home, and with the incredible display of talent throughout the championship games, I firmly believe we witnessed a turning point for the sport in our country. The memories from that season continue to influence how teams approach player development and international recruitment today, and honestly, I can't wait to see how these moments shape the future of PBA basketball.
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