Player Profile Series: “The Captain” Alvin Patrimonio’s lion heart
Another four-time PBA Most Valuable Player takes the spotlight in our series.
Alvin “The Captain” Patrimonio captured the league’s highest individual honor in 1991, 1993, 1994, and 1997—becoming only the second player to achieve the feat after “El Presidente” Ramon Fernandez, who won it in 1982, 1984, 1986, and 1988.
Patrimonio played his entire 17-year career with just one franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), staying loyal from 1988 to 2004. He became the face of the Purefoods/Magnolia franchise throughout those years, eventually passing the torch to his successors upon retirement.
Beyond the MVP accolades, "The Captain" amassed an impressive collection of achievements: six PBA championships, 10 Mythical First Team selections, one Mythical Second Team nod, and three Best Player of the Conference awards.
Known for his lion heart every time he stepped on the hardwood, Patrimonio was also a 12-time PBA All-Star, winning MVP honors in the 1995 All-Star Game. He was a three-time scoring champion and was named the PBA Press Corps’ Newsmaker of the Year. In honor of his contributions, the franchise retired his jersey number 16.
His final season was filled with emotional farewell tributes, not only from his team but from opposing squads as well—gestures that deeply moved the humble and grateful athlete.
Post-retirement, Patrimonio continued to serve the game as the team manager of the Hotshots, adding eight more PBA titles to his name. This includes a rare four-peat and a Grand Slam during the San Mig Coffee Mixers era.
All in all, he boasts 14 PBA championships—as a player and executive combined—and was part of the PBA's 25 Greatest Players list in 2000.
Patrimonio held several long-standing records, including most consecutive games played at 596—an ironman feat later surpassed by LA Tenorio, whom Alvin warmly congratulated. He ranks third all-time in scoring with 15,091 points and fourth in total rebounds, collecting over 6,000 boards. He is also the second player, after Bogs Adornado, to win back-to-back MVPs (1993–1994), and only the second to claim three Best Player of the Conference awards, following Vergel Meneses.
Internationally, Patrimonio represented the country in several Asian Games alongside fellow legend Allan Caidic. He was part of the bronze medal-winning 1986 team in Seoul and the silver medal-winning 1990 team in Beijing. He also contributed to the 1998 Centennial Team that bagged a bronze medal in Bangkok.
Despite standing just 6’3”, Patrimonio played much bigger than his height—anchored by grit, heart, and discipline. But beyond the numbers, what truly endeared him to fans was his humility and approachability. During his prime, he was known to stay until the last autograph was signed.
Patrimonio is one of the most respected figures in Philippine basketball, loved by fans, admired by teammates, and respected by rivals. Often regarded as the second most popular player in PBA history—next only to "The Living Legend" Robert Jaworski—he also had brief stints in acting during the earlier part of his career.
Off the court, Alvin is a devoted family man. Residing in Cainta, Rizal, he is married to Cindy and together they have four children: Angelo, Christine, Clarice, and Asher. A man of strong faith, he is known to have led his family closer to God and encouraged a life grounded in spiritual values.
The man with a lion’s heart on the court also has a soft, humble heart beyond it. And that’s what makes Alvin Patrimonio a true icon—then and now.
There are countless stories and achievements tied to his name—milestones that shaped not only his legacy but also Philippine basketball as a whole. And truth be told, they can’t all be told in just one sitting.
Alvin “The Captain” Patrimonio is more than just a PBA great—he’s a symbol of loyalty, passion, and excellence whose impact will be remembered for generations.
Name: Alvin Patrimonio
Moniker: The Captain
Birthdate: November 17, 1966
Height: 6’3”
Position: Power Forward
Jersey Number: 16
Career Information:
College: Mapúa
PBA draft: 1988 (direct hire), Selected by the Purefoods Hotdogs
Career history
As a player:
1988–2004 - Purefoods
As a coach:
2015 - UST (assistant)
2016–2017 NU (assistant)
Career highlights
As player:
- 6x PBA champion (1990 Third, 1991 All-Filipino, 1993 All-Filipino, 1994 Commissioner's, 1997 All-Filipino, 2002 Governors')
- 4x PBA Most Valuable Player (1991, 1993, 1994, 1997)
- 10x PBA Mythical First Team (1989–1994, 1996–1998, 2000)
- PBA Mythical Second Team (1995)
- 3x PBA Best Player of the Conference (1994 Commissioner's Cup, 1996 All-Filipino Cup, 1997 Governors' Cup)
- PBA Press Corps Newsmaker of the Year (1993)
- PBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (1991)
- 12× PBA All-Star (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)
- 50 Greatest Players in PBA History (2000 selection)
- 3× PBA Scoring Champion (1992–1993, 1998)
- No. 16 retired by Magnolia Hotshots
- 2x NCAA Philippines Most Valuable Player (1985, 1986)
- 3x PABL champion (1986 Filipino, 1987 Freedom, 1988 International Invitational)
As executive:
- 8x PBA champion (2006 Philippine, 2009–10 Philippine, 2012 Commissioner's, 2013 Governors', 2013–14 Philippine, 2014 Commissioner's, 2014 Governors', 2018 Governors')
- Grand Slam champion (2013–14)
Medals (Men's basketball Representing Philippines)
Asian Games:
- Bronze medal – third place 1986 Seoul Team competition
- Silver medal – second place 1990 Beijing Team competition
- Bronze medal – third place 1998 Bangkok Team competition
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San Miguel Beermen made a statement in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals, against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 107-82, on Wednesday night at the Mall of Asia Arena to even the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
CJ Perez spearheaded the charge with a near-complete performance, tallying 19 points, five rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and a block in almost 35 minutes of action. His energy sparked a game-changing 17-0 run in the fourth quarter that broke the game wide open for the Beermen.
Juami Tiongson added 14 points, while June Mar Fajardo turned in another monster game with 12 markers, a game-high 19 boards, three dimes, two deflections, and a rejection.
San Miguel’s well-balanced offense saw five players score in double figures, including Jericho Cruz and Rodney Brondial with 12 apiece, and Don Trollano who chipped in 11.
Game 5 is set for Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with both powerhouse squads looking to seize control of the series and inch closer to a Finals berth.
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel bounced back in style, securing a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals series with a 100-90 win over the San Miguel Beermen on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
RJ Abarrientos came up huge with a near triple-double performance—24 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists—leading the Gin Kings back on top after dropping Game 2.
Jamie Malonzo added 20 points with four rebounds and two assists, while Japeth Aguilar chipped in 18 markers alongside seven boards, two dimes, three steals, and two blocks in a vintage two-way showing.
Ginebra also got key contributions from Scottie Thompson and Stephen Holt. Thompson tallied 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block, while Holt recorded 10 points, seven boards, and a deflection.
For San Miguel, Don Trollano kept them in the fight with 22 points and three rebounds. JuneMar Fajardo posted a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, along with three dimes and a block.
CJ Perez and Jericho Cruz added 11 points apiece, while Juami Tiongson rounded out the Beermen’s double-digit scorers with 10.
Ginebra edged SMB 23-20 in the opening quarter, but the Beermen fought back strong in the second to take a 50-46 halftime lead. That momentum didn't last, as Ginebra responded with a commanding 25-14 third period to retake control at 71-64, then sealed the win with a 29-26 finish in the final frame.
“I’m just real proud of the guys for steadying themselves,” said head coach Tim Cone. “We figured a couple of things out. I felt we played with a really good tempo, and then RJ played tremendous down the stretch to keep them at bay.”
Game 4 is set for Wednesday, July 2, at 5:00 PM at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters broke through in their best-of-seven semi-finals series in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup, taking Game 3 in dominant fashion with a 107-86 win over TNT Tropang 5G on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Anton Asistio powered the Elasto Painters with a personal playoff-high 24 points off the bench. He also tallied six assists and a rebound in just under 29 minutes of action, going 7-of-9 from the field, 4-of-5 from three-point range, and 2-of-3 from the four-point arc.
Caelan Tiongson added 16 markers, four rebounds, one assist, and a block, while Keith Datu delivered a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double performance to go with two assists and a rejection.
Leonard Santillan contributed 12 points and eight rebounds, while Andrei Caracut chipped in 10 points, four assists, and four steals, helping Rain or Shine build early momentum and keep control through most of the game.
TNT, on the other hand, struggled without RR Pogoy, Jayson Castro, and Rey Nambatac. Calvin Oftana led the Tropa with 16 points and eight rebounds but registered a -22 plus-minus while shooting just 1-of-6 from deep. Simon Enciso and Glenn Khobuntin added 12 points each.