A Look Back at the PBA 2015 Season's Most Unforgettable Moments
I still remember the buzz surrounding the 2015 PBA season like it was yesterday. As someone who's followed Philippine basketball for over two decades, there was something particularly electric about that year - the kind of season that makes you fall in love with the sport all over again. The games weren't just basketball matches; they were cultural events that had entire communities holding their breath every weekend. What made 2015 special wasn't just the championship races or individual performances, but how everything seemed to converge into moments that would define the league for years to come.
The Philippine Cup alone gave us enough drama to fill an entire season. Who could forget June Mar Fajardo's absolute domination? The man was practically unstoppable, averaging what I recall was around 16.8 points and 14.2 rebounds per game during the finals. Watching him in the low post felt like witnessing a master class in fundamental basketball - no flashy moves, just pure, calculated power that left defenders looking helpless. His performance against Alaska in the finals was particularly memorable, especially that game where he grabbed 20 rebounds while playing through what appeared to be a pretty nasty ankle sprain. I remember thinking at the time that we were watching a legend in the making, someone who would eventually break all the records in the books.
Then there was the emergence of Calvin Abueva as both a phenomenal talent and the league's premier antagonist. Love him or hate him - and believe me, I've swung between both emotions watching him play - the Beast brought an intensity to every game that was simply captivating. His stat line of approximately 12.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game during the conference doesn't fully capture his impact. It was the little things - the offensive rebounds at crucial moments, the defensive stops against much bigger players, the way he could get under opponents' skin while making game-changing plays. I've always had mixed feelings about his antics, but there's no denying his competitive fire elevated every matchup he was part of.
The Commissioner's Cup brought its own set of unforgettable storylines, particularly Talk 'N Text's incredible comeback against Rain or Shine in the finals. Being down 0-2 in a best-of-seven series typically spells disaster, but watching Jimmy Alapag rally his team for four straight wins was nothing short of inspirational. At 37 years old, when most point guards are well past their prime, Alapag was hitting clutch three-pointers and directing the offense with the poise of someone ten years younger. That game-winning three he hit in Game 5 remains etched in my memory - the way he created just enough space against Paul Lee, the perfect arc of the ball, the net barely moving as it swished through. Those are the moments that make basketball more than just a game.
What often gets overlooked when discussing the 2015 season is how it paralleled developments in Philippine volleyball. Around the same time the PBA season was unfolding, the national men's volleyball team was making history of its own. From what I remember reading at the time, the selection committee had to narrow down 21 talented players to just 14 for the country's first-ever World Championship appearance in men's volleyball. That painful selection process - cutting seven deserving athletes from the final roster - mirrored the tough decisions PBA coaches faced every game. Both sports were experiencing growing pains as Philippine athletics stepped onto bigger international stages, creating this interesting synergy between different disciplines that don't normally interact.
The Governors' Cup provided the perfect climax to an already memorable season, with San Miguel Beer completing what I consider one of the most impressive championship runs in recent memory. Arizona Reid's performance throughout the conference was spectacular - I'd estimate he averaged about 28 points and 9 rebounds during the finals against Alaska. But what made San Miguel's victory particularly sweet was seeing them overcome the "Beerman" curse after 14 long years without a Governors' Cup title. The celebration that followed Game 6 felt like the entire franchise exhaling after more than a decade of frustration. As a longtime PBA fan, there's something deeply satisfying about watching a team break a lengthy championship drought - it reminds you why sticking with a team through lean years makes the victories taste sweeter.
Looking back, the 2015 season represented a transitional period for the PBA. We had veterans like Alapag and Dondon Hontiveros showing they still had plenty left in the tank, while younger stars like Fajardo and Abueva were establishing themselves as the league's future. The level of competition across all three conferences was remarkably high, with at least five teams having legitimate championship aspirations. What made it special wasn't just the quality of basketball, but the narratives that developed organically throughout the season - the rivalries, the comeback stories, the individual breakthroughs. Seven years later, I still find myself comparing current seasons to that magical 2015 campaign, and I suspect I'm not alone in considering it one of the PBA's most compelling chapters.
