1986 PBA Reinforced Conference Finals

The 1986 PBA Reinforced Conference Finals was the best-of-7 basketball championship series of the 1986 PBA Reinforced Conference, and the conclusion of the conference playoffs. The Tanduay Rhum Makers and Great Taste Coffee Makers played for the 33rd championship contested by the league.

Tanduay Rhum Makers wins their first-ever PBA title after 11 long years with a 4-2 series victory against Great Taste Coffee Makers.

Qualification

Series scoring summary

Games summary

Game 1

Both teams battle to several lead changes in the first two quarters, an 8-2 run by Tanduay in the closing minutes of the second quarter gave them a 61-57 edge at halftime, the Rhum Makers went up by nine, 75-66 in the third period, but Great Taste countered with a 14-2 run to take the lead back, 80-77, the game was last tied at 109-all, Jayvee Yango's three-point play gave Tanduay a 112-109 lead with 1:38 to go, the Coffee Makers were down by two points twice, 112-114, after Michael Holton converted a triple, and 114-116, in an exciting finish, Great Taste had a chance to tie the count after a split free throw from the Rhum Makers but Andre McKoy stole the ball from Holton with 14 seconds remaining to prevent a possible game-tying three pointer.^[1]

Game 2

Ricardo Brown sparked a rally for Great Taste in the fourth quarter, the Coffee Makers tied the count in a long while at 110-all after the Rhum Makers led all throughout for three quarters, Padim Israel's semi-hook shot gave Tanduay a 112-110 lead but Ricardo Brown forces overtime on a jumper with 40 seconds left in regulation, the Rhum Makers had a chance to win outright but Willie Generalao missed on his final attempt with two seconds to go. In the extension period, Great Taste took a commanding six-point lead three times, the last at 124-118, Rob Williams hit a triple to put the Rhum Makers within three, 121-124, Williams missed two three-point attempts to tie the game and a long, outlet pass and an easy lay-up for Brown, who knocked in eight points in overtime, completed a come-from-behind victory for Great Taste.^[2]

Game 3

The Coffee Makers raced to a 17-point lead in the third quarter, 81-64, with 6:20 remaining and seems headed for an easy victory, after a timeout by Tanduay, the Rhum Makers regroup and rallied with a 21-6 splurge, the Rhum Makers were only down by two, 85-87, going into the final quarter. The fourth period turned nightmarish for the Coffee Makers as Tanduay opened up a ten-point spread at 103-93, Jeff Collins tried to rally Great Taste back with six straight points to trimmed the deficit at 99-103, Freddie Hubalde got away with a basket that put the Rhum Makers safely ahead, 113-107, in the final minute.^[3]

Game 4

Great Taste was up, 52-41, in the second quarter when Tanduay came through with a 16-0 bomb for a 57-52 halftime lead. In the final period, the Coffee Makers led, 110-103, when the Rhum Makers worked their way back to within two points, 108-110, with 1:25 left, Abe King split his charities in the next play for a 111-108 Great Taste lead with 56 seconds remaining, Andre McKoy of Tanduay then hit a jumper to narrow the gap, Willie Pearson of Great Taste missed a jumper and Jayvee Yango pulled down the rebound, McKoy fished a foul off Pearson and sank two crucial free throws with 12 seconds to go, Great Taste coach Baby Dalupan opted to call a timeout earlier when McKoy was about to take his charities and the Coffee Makers inbounded from the backcourt, Michael Holton's jumper from the left side of the court was too long and Jayvee Yango grabbed the ball and pass it to Rob Williams who threw the ball in the air, giving Tanduay a 3-1 series lead and a win away from its first championship.^[4]

Game 5

From a tight first period resulting to a standoff at 21-all, Great Taste grabbed the upperhand in the second and third quarter, six straight points by Tanduay at the start of the fourth quarter cut the Coffee Makers' deficit to three, 75-78. Great Taste suddenly pulled away with a 16-point spread, 103-87, Rob Williams tried to rally the Rhum Makers with successive three-pointers in the last five minutes but fell short as Great Taste hang on with a five-point win.

Game 6

Right from the opening buzzer, Tanduay seized control and never allowed the Coffee Makers to even take a lead for once, the Rhum Makers led by as much as 27 points in the third quarter and continued its dominance in the final period, coach Arturo Valenzona was already seen being given a victory ride halfway through the fourth quarter, Tanduay was up by 22 points, 114-92, and the Coffee Makers come no closer than 17 points at 100-117. Rob Williams punctuated the highlight reel of Tanduay's first championship by nailing a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Rosters

Broadcast notes

References