1985 Ginebra San Miguel season

Summary

Starting the league's 11th season, the La Tondeña ballclub previously known as Gilbey's Gin was renamed Ginebra San Miguel. Team owner Carlos Palanca offered a role of playing-coach to Robert Jaworski and handle the team, replacing their former coach Arturo Valenzona, the Big J brought along his former Toyota teammate Rino Salazar to be his assistant coach, and with the old, die-hard Toyota fans supporting the team built around Jaworski and Francis Arnaiz, the "magic" of the name "Ginebra" grew with more and more fans, soon the trademark chants and the "Never-say-die" spirit was born and became an instant phenomenon.

Ginebra San Miguel lost their first game to Great Taste, 99-102, in the opening night on March 3. The Gins won their next game against Tanduay but the Rhum Makers put the game under protest and was ordered replayed. Ginebra went winless in seven starts, import Harold Driver was replaced by John Campbell after four games. On April 11, the Big J registered his first win as a playing coach in Ginebra's 118-104 victory over Manila Beer. The Gins finish the eliminations of the Open Conference with 3 wins and 9 losses and they were eliminated and placed last.

In the All-Filipino Conference, Ginebra had an even 5-5 won-loss card in the eliminations. They split their six games in the semifinals, winning over Shell, 101-93 on August 8, to forced a do-or-die playoff game against the Bugbusters for the second finals berth and the right to meet defending champion Great Taste in the championship. Ginebra lost to Shell, 76-89, in a knockout game three nights later on August 11. In the battle-for-third place against Tanduay, the series was tied at two games apiece but the Rhum Makers were awarded third place via tie-breaker.

Michael Hackett, a third round pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1982 draft, was Ginebra's import for the Reinforced Conference. Hackett debut with 48 points and 27 rebounds in Ginebra's 107-106 win over Northern Consolidated (NCC) on September 10, often called "Marvelous" by commentator Joe Cantada, the explosive, high-scoring import was unstoppable inside the shaded lane. Hackett scored 70 points and pulled down 27 rebounds in Ginebra's 137-122 win over Shell in Cabanatuan on September 28, five nights later on October 3, Hackett scored 76 points as Ginebra beat league-leading Manila Beer, 143-127. Ginebra San Miguel were tied with Magnolia Quench Plus and Northern with 7 wins and 5 losses at the end of eliminations, two playoff matches determined the second outright semis qualifier and Magnolia drew a bye with the superior quotient.

On October 22, Ginebra beat Northern (NCC), 99–96, in a game wherein Ginebra playing-coach Robert Jaworski was hit by an elbow from naturalized player Jeff Moore late in the second quarter, which caused him to bleed from the mouth that requires 9 stitches, the Big J had to come back from the hospital and fielded himself in during the third quarter to lead the Ginebras back in the game and along with Francis Arnaiz, showed character of a "never-say-die" spirit on that night. Ginebra advances into the semifinal round with a 106-98 win over Magnolia, two days after their hard-earned win over NCC. In the semifinals, the Ginebras posted two straight victories, winning over Northern, 101-97 on November 5, and beat Manila Beer, 121-107, in the battle of first-day semifinal winners, the Ginebra's streak was halted by Great Taste and the Gins lost all their three remaining games for a 2-4 won-loss slate in the semifinals. Ginebra placed third with a 4-0 sweep over Great Taste.

Scoring record

November 21: In Game one of the battle-for-third place, Michael Hackett, who was voted Best Import of the Reinforced Conference, scored 103 points as Ginebra defeated Great Taste, 197-168, in the highest-scoring game in PBA History. Hackett's 103-point output broke the previous record of 88 points set by Larry McNeill in 1983.

Roster

_{Team Manager: Adolf Ferrer}