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2019 Honda PBA Philippine Cup Standings: Complete Team Rankings and Season Results
2025-11-15 17:01
I still remember the 2019 Honda PBA Philippine Cup season like it was yesterday, and looking back at those standings gives me such a vivid picture of how dramatically things can shift in professional basketball. The San Miguel Beermen ultimately claimed the championship that year, but what struck me most was how their journey reflected the kind of strategic roster decisions we're now seeing in volleyball, particularly with Steven Rotter's surprising exclusion from the Alas Pilipinas Men's 14-man squad for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship. Both scenarios highlight how team management often makes controversial choices that leave fans and analysts scratching their heads, yet sometimes these very decisions lead to unexpected successes.
The 2019 Philippine Cup standings showed San Miguel finishing the elimination round with 9 wins against 2 losses, placing them second behind the Phoenix Fuel Masters who had an impressive 10-1 record. What many people don't remember is that San Miguel actually struggled early in the season, losing two of their first five games before going on that incredible 7-game winning streak. I've always believed that their mid-season turnaround came down to June Mar Fajardo finding his rhythm after dealing with minor injuries early on. The Beermen's path to the championship wasn't straightforward - they needed six games to get past TNT in the semifinals before facing Magnolia in a finals series that went the full seven games. That final game was absolutely electrifying, with San Miguel pulling away in the fourth quarter to win 72-71 in what remains one of the closest finishes in recent PBA memory.
What fascinates me about analyzing these standings is how they reveal patterns that transcend different sports. When I look at Steven Rotter being left out of the volleyball national team, it reminds me of how certain PBA teams made roster decisions that seemed questionable at the time but ultimately worked in their favor. Take Rain or Shine's decision to trade James Yap before the 2019 season - many critics called it a mistake, but it allowed them to develop younger players who contributed to their 7-4 record and quarterfinals appearance. Similarly, I suspect the volleyball selectors might have specific tactical reasons for Rotter's omission that we're not privy to, just as PBA coaches often have behind-the-scenes insights that inform their roster moves.
The middle part of that 2019 standings table was incredibly tight, with four teams finishing with identical 6-5 records. Alaska, Barangay Ginebra, Magnolia, and NorthPort all had to fight through tie-breakers to determine playoff positioning, and I've always felt this congestion reflected the league's competitive balance at its best. Magnolia's journey from that logjam to the finals was particularly impressive, proving that regular season standings don't always predict playoff success. Their coach Chito Victolero made some brilliant adjustments throughout the playoffs, much like how national team coaches across different sports must make difficult selection choices based on current form and tactical fit rather than past reputation.
Looking at the bottom of those 2019 standings, Blackwater finished with the worst record at 1-10, while Columbian and NLEX weren't much better at 3-8 each. These struggling teams remind me that rebuilding processes take time, and sometimes excluding established players - whether in basketball or volleyball - is part of a longer-term development strategy. I can't help but wonder if the Alas Pilipinas selectors are thinking similarly about Rotter, perhaps looking to build chemistry among younger players who might develop better without a veteran presence dominating playing time.
The parallel between these two situations across different sports and years highlights how team management in Philippine sports often follows similar patterns. Having followed both basketball and volleyball closely for over a decade, I've noticed that our national teams and professional leagues tend to prioritize specific playing styles over individual talent, which sometimes leads to these surprising exclusions. In the 2019 PBA season, we saw several notable players traded or receiving limited minutes because they didn't fit their team's system, much like Rotter's current situation.
Reflecting on that 2019 PBA season and comparing it to today's volleyball selection dilemmas gives me a deeper appreciation for how complex team management decisions can be. The standings tell only part of the story - what happens behind closed doors, the practice sessions we don't see, the chemistry issues coaches must navigate - these are the real factors that determine both roster choices and ultimate success. While I personally would have liked to see Rotter included given his international experience, I understand that selectors have access to information and insights that we fans don't. Just as San Miguel's championship validated their regular season decisions, perhaps the Alas Pilipinas team's performance will eventually justify what currently seems like a puzzling omission.
Heather Bolton Suber ’02
Leah Schnell ’01
Sarah Grimes Wiggins ’93
Dr. Ralph Swearngin
Point University will induct four members into the Athletics Hall of Fame during a luncheon on Friday, October 24, during Homecoming weekend.
The class of 2025 includes Leah Schnell ’01, Heather Bolton Suber ’02, Dr. Ralph Swearngin and Sarah Grimes Wiggins ’93. The Athletics Hall of Fame was launched in May 2024, when six inaugural members were inducted.
“We look forward to honoring the second Hall of Fame class during Homecoming,” said Jaunelle White, vice president of intercollegiate athletics and chief student development officer. “It’s always a great feeling to have our alumni back on campus mingling with our current student-athletes and coaches. These individuals were elite during their time at Atlanta Christian College and deserve to be recognized.”
Schnell attended Atlanta Christian College from 1998 to 2001, where she earned a degree in business while competing in both basketball and volleyball. On the basketball court, she earned First Team All-Conference, Scholar Athlete, and First Team All-American honors for three consecutive years. Schnell also held the title of all-time leading scorer from 1998-2001. She now thrives as a commercial construction project manager at Barnsley Construction Group and as an entrepreneur.
Suber, from Havana, Florida, attended ACC from 1998 to 2002. A dedicated two-sport athlete, she earned numerous accolades, including First Team All-Conference, Second Team All-Conference, Honorable Mention and First Team All-American. One of her most memorable achievements came when she made eleven three-pointers in a single game. Suber graduated with a degree in early childhood education and went on to earn a master’s degree in education and a specialist degree in instructional technology. For over 23 years, she has served as an educator.
Swearngin has had a distinguished career in education, athletics and ministry spanning several decades, including 20 years at ACC in roles such as professor, dean of students, athletics director and coach. He held national leadership positions with the NCCAA, served as a trustee of Point University for over 10 years, and worked extensively in ministry and education in California, earning degrees from Whittier College and Georgia State University. His athletic involvement includes 23 years as a high school football official in California and Georgia, 22 years with the Georgia High School Association — retiring as executive director in 2014 — and service on national football and softball rules committees. Honored with multiple Hall of Fame inductions and the Atlanta Falcons Lifetime Achievement Award, Swearngin has authored two books and remains active in retirement through preaching and leading Bible studies, alongside his wife of 58 years, Evelyn.
Wiggins grew up in Roswell, Georgia, where she began playing basketball at the age of ten. After two years at Florida State University, she transferred to ACC in 1990. While at ACC, Wiggins was named to the All-American team in both 1991 and 1992. In her final year, she led her team in scoring, helping them finish second in the nation, and was named national MVP in 1992. She earned a bachelor of science in elementary education in 1993 and later received a master’s degree in technology and media sciences from Georgia Southern University in 2009. For the past 33 years, Wiggins has worked as a dedicated educator. In 1997, she married Todd Wiggins. Together, they have two children, Preston, 26, and Logan, 22.
