PBA 2016-17 Season Highlights: Top 10 Memorable Moments and Records

I still remember the buzz surrounding the PBA's 2016-17 season like it was yesterday. As someone who's followed Philippine basketball for over a decade, there was something special about that particular season - it felt like we were witnessing history in the making almost every week. The energy in the arenas was electric, and even watching from home, you could sense that this season would be talked about for years to come.

Let me take you back to those preseason games, where the High Speed Hitters were just beginning their incredible run. They weren't just winning - they were dominating in a way that made you sit up and take notice. I recall watching their fourth preseason game against one of the league's powerhouse teams, thinking this would be where their streak ended. But no, they came out swinging and never let up. Finishing the preseason tournament at 4-0 undefeated isn't something you see every year, especially not with that level of consistency. What impressed me most wasn't just their perfect record, but how they achieved it - with this relentless, fast-paced style that left opponents scrambling to keep up.

The regular season unfolded with this incredible momentum building from those preseason games. June Mar Fajardo was, well, being June Mar Fajardo - the man was an absolute force of nature that year. He shattered his own rebounding record with what I believe was around 398 total rebounds across the season, though don't quote me on that exact number. Watching him in the paint was like watching an artist at work - he had this way of making impossible rebounds look effortless. I was at the game where he grabbed 29 rebounds against Ginebra, and the arena just erupted every time he snatched the ball away from two or three defenders.

Then there was Terrence Romeo's scoring explosion against GlobalPort. I've never seen anything quite like that 41-point game he had in February. The man was unconscious from beyond the arc, hitting three-pointer after three-pointer with defenders right in his face. What made it even more remarkable was that he did it while dealing with what appeared to be an ankle injury from the previous game. The crowd was on its feet every time he touched the ball in that fourth quarter - you just knew something special was happening.

The Alaska Aces' comeback victory against San Miguel in the Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals still gives me chills thinking about it. They were down by 18 points with less than 8 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, and most fans had already started heading for the exits. But then something clicked - their defense suddenly became impenetrable, forcing turnover after turnover. I remember turning to my friend and saying "they might actually do this" as they cut the lead to single digits. When they finally took the lead with 12 seconds left, the arena noise was absolutely deafening.

One moment that often gets overlooked from that season was Chris Ross's triple-double performance in the Philippine Cup finals. The man recorded 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in Game 5 if my memory serves me correctly - though I might be off by a digit or two on those stats. What made it special was how he impacted every facet of the game without needing to score heavily. His defense was particularly spectacular that night, with 4 steals that completely disrupted the opposing team's rhythm.

The emergence of young stars like Matthew Wright and Jio Jalalon provided some of the season's most exciting subplots. Wright's 34-point outburst against Star Hotshots showcased this incredible shooting touch that we hadn't seen from a rookie in years. Meanwhile, Jalalon's court vision was something to behold - his 15-assist game against NLEX felt like we were watching a veteran point guard in his prime rather than a newcomer finding his footing in the league.

The season finale between San Miguel and TNT in the Governors' Cup provided the perfect dramatic conclusion to an already memorable year. That overtime thriller had everything - lead changes, clutch shots, controversial calls, and emotional swings that left everyone exhausted by the final buzzer. When San Miguel finally secured the victory, completing their grand slam quest, the celebration felt both earned and inevitable given how they'd performed all season.

Looking back, what made the 2016-17 season truly special was how different teams and players stepped up at different moments. From the High Speed Hitters' undefeated preseason run that set the tone, to individual record-breaking performances, to team comebacks that defied logic - it was a season that reminded us why we love this game. The memories from those ten months of basketball still come up in conversations among fans today, and I find myself rewatching highlights from that season more than any other. There was just this magical quality to the games - a sense that you were witnessing something beyond ordinary basketball, where legacy was being written right before our eyes.