Philippine Centennial Team

1998 Philippines Asian Games basketball team
Head coachTim Cone
1998 Asian Games Bronze
jersey
Team colours

Uniform

jersey
Team colours

Uniform

← 1994
2002 →

The 1998 Philippines men's national basketball team, nicknamed the "Philippine Centennial Team", competed in the 1998 Asian Games. The team consisted of professional players in the country that included national team veterans Allan Caidic and Alvin Patrimonio, both sharing the distinction of being the only PBA players to represent the country in four Asian Games basketball tournaments since 1986. The team nickname was a reference to the centennial celebration of the independence of the Philippines.

The national team participated in the Philippine Basketball Association Centennial Cup (where they placed last, where other team had two non-Filipinos in their lineups) and later played exhibition games against the China national basketball team and the PBA All-Star (non-national team members) Selection. The Nationals went on to win the 21st William Jones Cup International Basketball Tournament in Taiwan and then on a tough Midwest tour of the United States.

Alaska Milkmen head coach Tim Cone in 1998 with Centennial Team

The national team’s main goal was to win the 1998 Asian Games basketball tournament and to reclaim Philippine basketball supremacy in Asia. The team started the tournament by winning four games in a row and finished with a 5-2 record losing to China and Korea, but they were able to capture the Bronze medal in the play-offs.

Overall, the national basketball achievements of 1998 include the William Jones Cup and the Asian Games bronze medal. This team was the third PBA-backed national team that followed the 1994 national team (finished fourth) and the 1990 national team (finished second – Silver Medal), and preceded the 2002 national team that finished fourth in the Asian Games and eventually the 2022 Team that finally won the first Gold Medal since 1962 with Cone coaching the same team.

Tournaments

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Medal record
Men's basketball
Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Bangkok Team competition
Date Opponents Scores W/L
July 9 Philippines PBA All-Star Selection 114-109 (50-45) W
July 12 Philippines PBA All-Star Selection 107-92 (54-45) W
Date Opponents Scores W/L Round
August 30 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia 78-60 (48-32) W Elimination Round Group B
September 1 Japan Japan 90-87 OT ((76-76)) (44-39) W Elimination Round Group B
September 2 Thailand Thailand 84-34 (41-17) W Elimination Round Group B
September 3 Costa Rica Costa Rica 83-72 (46-42) W Elimination Round Group B
September 4 South Korea South Korea 96-77 (44-39) W Semi-Finals
September 5 Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei 82-72 (41-40) W Championship
  • Halftime scores in parentheses
  • Regulation Scores in double parentheses
  • Record: 6-0
Date Opponents Scores W/L Round
September 8 Philippines San Miguel Beermen 50-60 (20-33) L Elimination Round
September 11 Philippines Ginebra San Miguel 72-89 (44-40) L Elimination Round
September 15 Philippines Mobiline Phone Pals 50-65 (20-30) L Elimination Round
September 18 Philippines Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs 59-79 L Elimination Round
September 20 Philippines Alaska Milkmen 57-85 (27-42) L Elimination Round
September 26 Philippines Sta. Lucia Realtors 78-72 (36-39) W Elimination Round
September 29 Philippines Shell Turbo Chargers 57-73 (19-35) L Elimination Round
October 2 Philippines Pop Cola 800's 58-75 (33-44) L Elimination Round
Date Opponents Scores W/L Round
December 8 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan 53-52 (27-28) W Elimination Round Group
December 9 Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan 91-50 (41-27) W Elimination Round Group
December 14 United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates 93-57 (49-29) W Quarterfinals Group B
December 15 Thailand Thailand 86-60 (36-36) W Quarterfinals Group B
December 16 South Korea South Korea 83-103 (36-49) L Quarterfinals Group B
December 18 China China 73-82 (32-44) L Semi-Final
December 19 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan 73-68 (36-36) W Bronze medal game
  • Halftime scores in parentheses
  • Record: 5-2

Members

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Pos No. Player Height PBA Team
PF 4 Alvin Patrimonio 6'4" Purefoods
C 5 Andy Seigle 6'10" Mobiline
SG 6 Jojo Lastimosa 6'2" Alaska
PF 7 Dennis Espino 6'6" Sta. Lucia
SG 8 Allan Caidic 6'3" San Miguel
PF 9 Jun Limpot 6'6" Sta. Lucia
SG/SF 10 Vergel Meneses 6'4" Pop Cola
C 11 Edward Joseph Feihl 7'1" Purefoods
PG 12 Olsen Racela 5'10" San Miguel
C 13 Marlou Aquino 6'9" Ginebra
PG 14 Johnny Abarrientos 5'7" Alaska
SG/SF 15 Kenneth Duremdes 6'3" Alaska

Milestones

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  • Allan Caidic and Alvin Patrimonio both have the rare distinction of having participated in four straight Asian Games basketball tournaments since 1986. They donned the national team colors in the 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998.
  • Caidic also became the only Filipino player to win two championships in the William Jones Cup, once as an amateur in 1985 and once as a professional in 1998.
  • Jojo Lastimosa was also a member of the 1986 Philippine team that won the bronze medal in the 1986 Asian Games.
  • Johnny Abarrientos, Kenneth Duremdes and Marlou Aquino played on their second Asian Games tournament.
  • In 1998, the Philippines won its third William Jones Cup title – the first two on 1981 and 1985.
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