2003 PBA All-Filipino Cup


The 2003 Philippine Basketball Association All-Filipino Cup, or known as the 2003 Samsung-PBA All-Filipino Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the first conference of the 2003 PBA season. It started on February 23 and ended on July 13, 2003. The tournament is an All-Filipino format, which doesn't require an import or a pure-foreign player for each team.

Format

The following format will be observed for the duration of the conference:
  • The teams were divided into 2 groups.
Group A:
  1. Alaska Aces
  2. FedEx Express
  3. Purefoods TJ Hotdogs
  4. San Miguel Beermen
  5. Sta. Lucia Realtors
Group B:
  1. Barangay Ginebra Kings
  2. Coca-Cola Tigers
  3. Red Bull Thunder
  4. Shell Turbo Chargers
  5. Talk 'N Text Phone Pals
  • Teams were divided into two groups but will play a two-round eliminations; 18 games per team; Teams are then seeded by basis on win–loss records. Ties are broken among point differentials of the tied teams.
  • The top four teams per group will qualify to the quarterfinals
  • Quarterfinals will be a single round robin affair within the groups. Results from the elimination will not be carried over.
  • The top two teams per group will qualify to the semifinal round.
  • Best-of-five semifinals:
  • *SF1: A1 vs. B2
  • *SF2: B1 vs. A2
  • Third-place playoff: losers of the semifinals
  • Best-of-seven finals: winners of the semifinals

Elimination round

Group B

Batang Red Bull won 10 of their first 11 games of the season. The Thunder were on a nine-game winning streak before suffering back-to-back losses to Talk 'N Text and FedEx.

Quarterfinal round

Group A

Alaska beat Sta.Lucia, 75-66, and the Aces got a free ride to the semifinals from the San Miguel Beermen, which beat FedEx, 96-87. The Express were hoping to create a possible three-way tie.

Group B

Talk 'N Text and Coca Cola advances to the semifinals, the Phone Pals defeated Barangay Ginebra, 99-86, while the Tigers nip Batang Red Bull, the team with the best record in the eliminations, 80-79.