2025-11-15 17:01
I still remember the 2019 Honda PBA Philippine Cup like it was yesterday - the energy in the arenas, the unexpected uprisings, and those heartbreaking moments when teams we thought were contenders just couldn't find their rhythm. Looking back at that season's standings and team performances feels particularly relevant today, especially when I consider recent surprises like Steven Rotter being left off Alas Pilipinas Men's 14-man squad for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship. It reminds me that in sports, nothing is guaranteed, and preseason expectations often get completely overturned by reality.
The 2019 Philippine Cup standings told a fascinating story of dominance and disappointment. San Miguel Beermen absolutely crushed it, finishing with a league-best 10-1 record in the elimination round before sweeping their way to the championship. June Mar Fajardo was just unstoppable - the man averaged around 22 points and 12 rebounds per game, numbers that still make me shake my head in disbelief. What made their performance even more impressive was how they maintained consistency despite facing every team's best shot. They were the defending champions, everyone wanted to take them down, and yet they just kept winning. I've always believed that true championship teams find ways to win even when they're not playing their best basketball, and San Miguel embodied that perfectly throughout that conference.
Meanwhile, teams like Rain or Shine and Phoenix Pulse delivered surprisingly strong performances that season, finishing with 8-3 and 7-4 records respectively. I distinctly remember watching Rain or Shine's young core - players like Rey Nambatac and Javee Mocon - playing with this fearless energy that made them so exciting to watch. They weren't supposed to be that good, at least not according to most preseason predictions, but they played with a cohesion that more experienced teams lacked. Phoenix, on the other hand, had this gritty determination that reminded me of underdog stories we rarely see in professional sports. Their games were often close, nail-biting affairs that came down to the final possessions, and they found ways to win more often than not.
Then there were the disappointments - teams like TNT KaTropa and Barangay Ginebra that finished with mediocre 5-6 records. I remember being particularly frustrated watching Ginebra that conference because they had the talent but just couldn't string together consistent performances. They'd look brilliant one game and completely out of sync the next. It's the kind of inconsistency that reminds me of current situations like Steven Rotter's surprising exclusion from Alas Pilipinas - sometimes coaching decisions and team chemistry issues lead to outcomes that don't make immediate sense to us fans. Both TNT and Ginebra had the roster depth to compete at the highest level, yet they struggled to find their identity throughout the conference.
The Alaska Aces broke my heart that season with their 4-7 finish. As someone who's followed them for years, watching them struggle through that conference was tough. They had moments of brilliance - that overtime victory against NorthPort still stands out in my memory - but they couldn't maintain momentum. Their defense, usually their strongest asset, seemed to disappear at critical moments. I recall one particular game where they blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter, and you could see the frustration on the players' faces. Sometimes a team just loses its way, and that was Alaska during the 2019 Philippine Cup.
What fascinates me about analyzing these standings is how they reflect the unpredictable nature of sports. Before the season started, most analysts (myself included) had Ginebra and TNT finishing much higher in the standings. Meanwhile, few predicted Rain or Shine's strong showing. This unpredictability is exactly what makes sports so compelling to follow year after year. It's the same reason why Steven Rotter's omission from Alas Pilipinas surprises me - on paper, certain decisions don't always make sense, but coaches and management have insights we don't.
The championship series itself was a masterclass in playoff basketball. San Miguel swept Magnolia in four games, but the scores don't tell the whole story. Those were hard-fought games, with several going down to the wire. I was at Game 3 where San Miguel came back from 12 points down in the fourth quarter, and the atmosphere was electric. That's the thing about championship teams - they find that extra gear when it matters most. While Magnolia put up a valiant fight, finishing the elimination round with a solid 8-3 record, they just didn't have enough to overcome San Miguel's dominance when it counted most.
Reflecting on that 2019 season makes me appreciate how quickly fortunes can change in professional sports. Teams that struggled then have since rebuilt and found success, while some strong performers have faded. It's a constant cycle of adjustment and improvement that keeps the league interesting. The unexpected outcomes, whether it's a surprising standings finish or a player exclusion like Steven Rotter's recent situation, remind us that sports will always have elements that defy prediction. That's why we keep watching - for those moments that surprise us, disappoint us, and ultimately keep us connected to the games we love.
