1998–99 Philippine Basketball League season
| 1998–99 PBL season | |
|---|---|
| Duration | April 18, 1998 – January 21, 1999 |
| Number of teams | 7 |
| TV partner(s) | Silverstar Sports (PTV) |
| Conferences | |
| 1st Centennial Cup champions | Tanduay Centennial Rhum Masters |
| Runners-up | Batang Red Bull Energy Kings |
| 2nd Centennial Cup champions | Dr.J Rubbing Alcohol |
| Runners-up | Tanduay Gold Rhum Masters |
| Awards | |
| Season MVP | Eric Menk |
| Seasons | |
The 1998–99 season of the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).
PTV 4, in partnership with Silverstar Sports as the line producer, covered the PBL games.
Tanduay scored a 3–0 sweep over Batang Red Bull in the 1st Yakult-PBL Centennial Cup finals. The Rhum Masters clinch the title with a 71-65 victory in Game 3.
Tanduay Rhum Masters strung up 18 straight victories (18-0) in the 2nd Yakult-PBL Centennial Cup, before newcomer Blu Detergents halted their winning run. Tanduay wound up with a 19-1 win-loss record going into the finals.
Dr.J Ana Water Dispenser won their first-ever PBL crown with a 3-2 series win over Tanduay and denied the Rhum Masters on what could have been a grand exit for the multi-titled ballclub as the Lucio Tan franchise leaped to the pro ranks.
A PBL All-Star game was held in December 1998, Tanduay's Eric Menk leads the PBL-UAAP selection while Asi Taulava of Blu Detergent beef up the PBL-NCAA Hapee selection. The North vs South All-Star game had Yakult-South being coach by Leo Austria while the North All-Stars was handled by Gabby Velasco.
PBL Commissioner Yeng Guiao came up with the formation of the first-ever women's league in the PBL in mid-October to spice up the 2nd conference, among the teams which participated in the Women's Philippine Basketball League are Dr J/Ana Dispenser, Dreyers Ice Cream, Welcoat Paints, Ever Bilena, Tanduay, Chowking and Paralux/Ironcon. Notable WPBL cagebelles were former RP team members Mitchell Jimenez (Paralux), Ana Marie Tinasas (Dreyers), Joanna Franquelli (Ana Dispenser), Mary Ellen Caasi and Cherry Maralit (Welcoat), and 4-time SEA games campaigner and silver medal winning-RP team in the Chiang Mai games, Julie Amos of Ever Bilena.
On December 28, 1998, Ever Bilena won the first Birch Tree-Women's PBL crown with a nail-biting 52-51 victory over Chowking at the Makati Coliseum.
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