The 2003 Talk 'N Text Phone Pals season was the 14th season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and third season under the management of Smart Communications.
Draft picks
Transactions Players Added Via Draft Jimmy Alapag Harvey Carey William Villa Via Free Agency Angelo David (From Sta. Lucia Realtors; Both teams agreed to share obligations on contract of the player) Jonathan De Guzman (Drafted by Purefoods in 2001) Expedito Falcasantos (From Sta. Lucia Realtors) Jojo Manalo (From Coca Cola Tigers)Players Lost Via Free Agency Don Camaso (To Alaska) Alex Crisano (To Barangay Ginebra Kings) Via Trade Gilbert Demape (To Purefoods and their 6th pick; acquired the Hotdogs' number 4 pick)
Occurrences February 27: PBA Suspends Asi Taulava for two games after he was found to have traces of Marijuana during a mandated test conducted by league physician Ben Salud.
April 12: Phone Pals coach Paul Woolpert was fired by the management and named assistant coach Joel Banal as his interim replacement.
May 6: Forward Norman Gonzales was also tested positive of banned substance, he was the fifth player to be suspended indefinitely by the PBA and was ordered to undergo a six-month rehabilitation.
August 15: Talk 'N Text acting head coach Ariel Vanguardia, who took over from Joel Banal, when the latter decided to honor his commitment with the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP, was slapped with a five-game suspension and a P50,000 fine while the team P250,000 in a game-sham that took place on August 13 when the Phone Pals tried to extend a winning ballgame against Red Bull in overtime by deliberately shooting on the Barako's goal, Talk 'N Text representative to the PBA board Ricky Vargas said the team will appeal the five-game suspension to Commissioner Noli Eala since the Phone Pals cannot hire an interim coach for five games starting the Third Conference.
Championship The Talk 'N Text Phone Pals won their first championship in the All-Filipino Cup by defeating the defending champions Coca Cola Tigers. The Phone Pals lost the first two games of the series but won the next four to clinch their first title in 13 years, not counting the 1998 Centennial Cup triumph. Asi Taulava was voted finals MVP of the series.
Awards Asi Taulava won the coveted Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, aside from winning the Best Player of the Conference in the All-Filipino Cup. Jimmy Alapag won the Rookie of the Year honors.
Roster
Game results All-Filipino Cup Date Opponent Score Top scorer Venue Location February 26 Shell 74–77 Philsports Arena Pasig March 2 Alaska 78–96 Alapag (24 pts) Araneta Coliseum Quezon City March 9 San Miguel 83–79 Ravena (21 pts) Araneta Coliseum Quezon City March 14 Sta.Lucia 72–71 Alapag (16 pts) Philsports Arena Pasig March 21 (Ordered replay) Brgy.Ginebra 117–122 2OT Alapag (40 pts) Araneta Coliseum Quezon City March 26 Shell 104–92 Taulava (46 pts) Makati Coliseum Makati City March 29 Red Bull 88–94 Taulava (27 pts) Cebu City April 2 Purefoods 83–85 Philsports Arena Pasig April 9 FedEX 93–86 OT Taulava (38 pts) Philsports Arena Pasig April 12 Coca-Cola 78–79 San Fernando, Pampanga April 16 Sta.Lucia 84–77 Philsports Arena Pasig April 22 (Replay) Brgy.Ginebra 90–87 Alapag (26 pts) Araneta Coliseum Quezon City April 25 Red Bull Philsports Arena Pasig April 30 Alaska 89–88 Makati Coliseum Makati City May 4 Coca-Cola 91–87 Taulava (30 pts) Araneta Coliseum Quezon City May 9 FedEx 105–116 Philsports Arena Pasig May 11 Brgy.Ginebra 82–99 Alapag (21 pts) Araneta Coliseum Quezon City May 21 Purefoods Philsports Arena Pasig May 28 San Miguel 102–106 Taulava (31 pts) Philsports Arena Pasig
References