I still get chills thinking about that 2015 PBA Philippine Cup Finals. You know, as someone who's followed Philippine basketball for over two decades, I've witnessed countless championship series, but there's something about that particular showdown between the San Miguel Beermen and the Alaska Aces that feels almost mythical in retrospect. The way it unfolded, the sheer drama of it all - it wasn't just a basketball game, it was a seven-part epic that redefined what we thought was possible in Philippine sports. What makes it even more remarkable is how it transformed perceptions, particularly around June Mar Fajardo, who entered that series shouldering the weight of expectations and emerged as something entirely different.

Let me set the stage for you. The 2014-2015 PBA season had been building toward this exact confrontation. San Miguel, after acquiring Fajardo as the first overall pick in the 2012 draft, had been patiently constructing their team around the Cebuano giant. Meanwhile, Alaska under coach Alex Compton had developed this relentless, pressing system that seemed to overwhelm opponents through sheer force of will. The statistics heading into the finals were telling - Alaska had won 10 of their last 11 games, while San Miguel had battled through a tough semifinal against Talk 'N Text. Personally, I remember thinking Alaska's system might be too much for San Miguel to handle, especially with their trademark full-court pressure that had been suffocating opponents all conference long.

The series began exactly as I feared it might for San Miguel. Alaska took Games 1 and 2 in convincing fashion, winning by margins of 18 and 16 points respectively. Their pressure defense was causing all sorts of problems for San Miguel's guards, and Fajardo, while putting up decent numbers of 18 points and 12 rebounds in Game 1, seemed frustrated by Alaska's double teams. After that second game, I'll admit I thought the series might be over in a sweep. The narrative around Fajardo at that point was still tinged with skepticism - could this gentle giant really lead a team to championship glory? There were still whispers about whether he had the killer instinct needed to win it all.

Then came what I consider the turning point not just of the series, but of Fajardo's entire career. Down 0-2, San Miguel made crucial adjustments. Coach Leo Austria decided to use Fajardo more in the high post, allowing him to facilitate and read the defense rather than just battling in the paint. The results were immediate and spectacular. San Miguel took Game 3 by 8 points, with Fajardo contributing 22 points and 15 rebounds. What impressed me most wasn't just the statistics though - it was how he commanded the game, making the right passes out of double teams and controlling the tempo. Games 4 and 5 saw San Miguel continue their resurgence, with Fajardo averaging 24.5 points and 13 rebounds in those victories. The series had completely turned around, and suddenly it was Alaska who looked rattled.

The climax came in Game 7, and what a game it was. Triple overtime - only the second Game 7 in PBA history to go to three extra periods. I remember watching it with friends, all of us literally on the edge of our seats for what felt like an eternity. The final numbers were staggering when you look back - Fajardo played 53 minutes out of a possible 63, putting up 21 points and 17 rebounds despite battling foul trouble throughout. But statistics can't capture how dominant he was in crucial moments, particularly his defensive presence in the third overtime when everyone else was running on fumes. San Miguel ultimately prevailed 110-104, completing one of the most remarkable comebacks in PBA history after being down 0-2.

What fascinates me most about this series in retrospect is how it completely transformed the narrative around Fajardo. Before these finals, there were still doubts about whether he could be the cornerstone of a championship team. After carrying San Miguel to victory in such dramatic fashion, those doubts evaporated. There's this beautiful irony in how Fajardo, who had been subjected to all sorts of jokes and banter early in his career about being too soft or too limited, proved himself to be the absolute antithesis of those criticisms. He wasn't just winning - he was dominating in ways we hadn't seen from a local big man in years. The very qualities people had questioned - his mental toughness, his conditioning, his ability to perform in clutch situations - became his greatest strengths throughout that series.

Looking back nearly a decade later, I'm convinced the 2015 Philippine Cup Finals represented a paradigm shift in Philippine basketball. Fajardo's performance, particularly his 53-minute masterpiece in Game 7, set a new standard for what we could expect from Filipino big men. It wasn't just about size anymore - it was about skill, endurance, and basketball IQ. The series also demonstrated the importance of coaching adjustments, with Austria's decision to utilize Fajardo differently after Game 2 proving absolutely crucial. From a pure basketball perspective, I'd argue this was perhaps the most strategically interesting finals we've seen in the last 15 years, with both teams making significant adjustments game to game.

The legacy of that series continues to resonate today. Fajardo would go on to win multiple MVP awards and establish himself as arguably the greatest Filipino center of all time, but it all started with that 2015 Philippine Cup victory. For Alaska, it was a heartbreaking loss from which they never quite recovered in the same way, which is a shame because they played spectacular basketball for most of that series. Every time I rewatch highlights from those games, I'm struck by the sheer intensity and skill on display. It wasn't just basketball - it was theater, and we were all lucky to witness it. That series set a benchmark for excellence that I'm not sure we've seen matched since, both in terms of individual performance and collective drama.