Who's the best / strongest Philippine Basketball Team?

[aerialheads]

Is it the:

1. 1990 coached by Robert Jaworski. Line-up are: Paras, Lim, Patrimonio, etc..

2. 1994- Coached by Norman Black. Line-up: Paras, Codiñera, Caidic, Pumaren, etc..

3. 1998- Tim Cone. Line-up: Patrimonio, Aquino, Meneses, Abarrientos, Duremdes, etc..

4. 2002- Jong Uichico. Line-up: Racela, Hatfield, Taulava, Ildefonso, etc.

Your thoughts?

[twelvedozen]

1998 centennial team. i think the RP finished 3rd place in ASIAN games.

[aerialheads]

for me the strongest is the 1998 centenial team 2nd is the smart gilas team and 3rd the jaworski team where they won silver

I agree with you. But I guess if not with Racela's charity misses and last defensive play lapse where team Philippines should have fouled, the 2002 team wud be the most successful RP basketball team

[asero]

Di anman part ng 1994 team si paras

[sasser]

I agree with you. But I guess if not with Racela's charity misses and last defensive play lapse where team Philippines should have fouled, the 2002 team wud be the most successful RP basketball team

sure silver na sana yun

kaya lang di na RP team yan, may import/s eh

[jazzper]

Para sa akin yung lineup na binuo ni Ron Jacobs na lumaban sa Jones Cup at nagchampion tayo. Players like Caidic, Calma, Dignadice, Jeff Moore, Chip Engelland, Dennis Steele, Samboy Lim and others.

[cedricbv]

Para sa akin yung lineup na binuo ni Ron Jacobs na lumaban sa Jones Cup at nagchampion tayo. Players like Caidic, Calma, Dignadice, Jeff Moore, Chip Engelland, Dennis Steele, Samboy Lim and others.

But with Import... Para sa akin Centennial Team ni Coach Tim Cone...

[jazzper]

^^^ So ibig sabihin hindi rin included ang Gilas kasi may import din.

[whiplash]

'98 centennial team. malalaki lang talaga china, and mas organized.

[Jay P. Mercado]

Best ever, undoubtedly, was the 1981 NCC Training Team that won the Jones Cup that year. It was made up of 8 American players being groomed for naturalization, two Fil-AMs (Willie Pearson and Ricky Brown) and two homegrown talents (JV Yango and Frankie Lim of San Beda) and coached by Ron Jacobs. Most of the American players were NCAA Division I players, including Dennis Still and Jeff Moore. That team was so formidable that even the US team that played in the Jones Cup and faced in the Finals lost badly to the NCC Training Team.

But then, hard to qualify this as a national team. Which leads to which team was the best national team that played in the 4 Asian Games. Hard to say but here're my picks:

1990 National Team - best-motivated team under Jaworski
1994 National Team - supposedly team with best chemistry but didn't turn out as such
1998 National Team - best prepared team except against South Korea
2002 National Team - best players assembled for a team

[Jay P. Mercado]

Menk wasn't part of the 1998 team. He first joined the national team in 2002 at Busan...

There were 8 American players slated for naturalization in 1981. And while I don't disagree with you that it shouldn't be called a national team, it was called as such back then when they represented the country in the 1981 Jones Cup. Note my disclaimer in the second paragraph ofmy post.

The 1998 team was good but it was fixated in trying to match up against China (which we lost competitively) but completely forgot about South Korea (which we lost badly). Then, we struggled to win the bronze as Jojo Lastimosa had to defy Tim Cone's coaching and go individual to pull off the W. Between the 1998 and 2002 teams, I'd consider Uichico's team better...

[vicerocks]

1990. Nakakuha ng silver ang Pilipinas. Nagpaulan ng 3points si Caidic laban sa Japan.

Sana mayroong kumpletong listahan ng mga players.

[Jay P. Mercado]

1990 team had Paras, Patrimonio, Caidic, Lim, Calma, Magsanoc, Gonzalgo, Loyzaga, Cuenco, Realubit, Fernandez and Dignadice.

[Than]

The 1990 Beijing Asiad National Team was bar none the Best RP team for me based on the result.
As it went home with the best accomplishment among all other succeeding NT's with a 2nd place finish(Silver Medal).

As what JPM cited, it was also composed of NOT entirely the best crop of PBA players as half of the team were ROLE players to help Superstars Allan Caidic, Patrimonio, Samboy, Fernandez, Paras...

Imagine Chito Loyzaga, the late Rey Cuenco & Realubit guarding 7'7 or was it 7'9 behemoth Zhan TAO?

That team played with pure heart under the baton of Coach Jaworski.

[Jay P. Mercado]

That remains my favorite as well, the 1990 team of Robert Jaworski. Just for sheer heart and guts alone, I think that team may have been the best team among the 4. Of course, it would appear that the 2002 team of Uichico may be more talented individually, but the 1990 team had chemistry - even if they only had two weeks to prepare.

Than, Shan Tao is actually only 7'0 tall and suited up for China. You may have referred to Michael Ri, the North Korean player at 7'7 being guarded by Chito Loyzaga and forcing him to foul out of the ballgame because of sheer frustration. Ri did score 27 points against us, but not after Ri struggled immensely in getting his shots.

[Than]

That remains my favorite as well, the 1990 team of Robert Jaworski. Just for sheer heart and guts alone, I think that team may have been the best team among the 4. Of course, it would appear that the 2002 team of Uichico may be more talented individually, but the 1990 team had chemistry - even if they only had two weeks to prepare.

Than, Shan Tao is actually only 7'0 tall and suited up for China. You may have referred to Michael Ri, the North Korean player at 7'7 being guarded by Chito Loyzaga and forcing him to foul out of the ballgame because of sheer frustration. Ri did score 27 points against us, but not after Ri struggled immensely in getting his shots.

Yah, thanks for the heads-up Jay, its that North Korean guy im referring to.
That time, 7 footers were very Rare & if you seen 1 in an International competition like that, it will either pumped you up even more, or you simply lose Hopes.

Our tallest center back then stands no taller than 6'5 to 6'6.

The Jong Uichico led Busan team is the most talented when it comes to individual talents. Not far behind is the Centennial team of coach Tim Cone.

The Hiroshima NT of coach Norman Black was formed supposedly with the core of the reigning All-Filipino Champ back then (SMB) as agreed by the PBA board, but because of injuries incurred by the SMB core, they were in a hurry to add some veterans from other teams like Patrimonio/Codinera of PF, Johnny Abbarientos of Alaska & some promising amateurs like Marlou Aquino, Kenneth Duremdes... (I hope i did not forget anyone Jay).

Could be one of the best NT when it comes to chemistry, but was affected by injuries to half of the Champion team SMB, so naging Chopsuey narin & that affects Team Chemistry.

[Marshall_Matters]

in my opinion the era where 1980s to 1991 era are players that was not fully develop. they have center like zan tao a 7'7 behemoth but with no skills.

unlike in 1998 era. where in asian people started joing the nba draft.

the likes of wang zhizhi bateer menk and other chinese superstar was at its best in 1998 era. to addition of that the level of competitiveness was seen

Sige na, sige na, yung 1998 team mo na ang pinakamagaling.

Ikaw na, the best ka eh.

[Jess24]

Strongest team would be 2002. We were one FT away from a silver medal finish.

Best team would be 1990. That team was short in size and talent but not in heart. Sliver medal finish despite being formed just a few weeks from competition, without the benefit of tuneup games and preparation.

[Gunnar]

The 1990 Beijing Asiad National Team was bar none the Best RP team for me based on the result.
As it went home with the best accomplishment among all other succeeding NT's with a 2nd place finish(Silver Medal).

As what JPM cited, it was also composed of NOT entirely the best crop of PBA players as half of the team were ROLE players to help Superstars Allan Caidic, Patrimonio, Samboy, Fernandez, Paras...

Imagine Chito Loyzaga, the late Rey Cuenco & Realubit guarding 7'7 or was it 7'9 behemoth Zhan TAO?

That team played with pure heart under the baton of Coach Jaworski.

Codinera could have been a part of this team but I think he was suffering with hepatitis during that time. You are right Than, that team played with heart. And we were lucky enough not to face Korea in the semis.

[lawgone]

The 2002 Team is the best in recent memory. Also, arguably the strongest team ever assembled.