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This Day in PBA History: Seigle makes first 11 shots in San Miguel-Red Bull series

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Rey Joble

Had it not been for a torn Achilles tendon he suffered while the Philippines men’s basketball team was preparing for the 2002 Busan Asian Games, Danny Seigle would have gone to win not just more championships, but also capturing the most prestigious individual award as Most Valuable Player.He could only watch the Philippine squad and long-time teammate Olsen Racela missing his free throws and losing the semifinals match against South Korea on a dagger 3-pointer by Lee Sang-min. For the entire 2003 season, the standout from Wagner University was also placed on the injured list and only made his return in the 2004 Fiesta Conference.Gradually, Seigle worked his way back to tip-top condition, and in 2006 it seemed that he recovered his deadly form.The 6-foot-7 Seigle made his presence his felt on this day, June 23, 2006, in Game 3 of the semifinals between San Miguel Beer and Red Bull.Red Bull, who had just won the Fiesta Conference over Purefoods, was making another run for a second straight crown, and standing in its way was the team that just won the same import-laced conference the previous season – the Beermen.After the two teams split the first two games of their best-of-7 series, Seigle took charge in Game 3, hitting his first 11 attempts from the field, the third most consecutive 2-point field goals made by any player.The record belonged to Frankie Lim, who hit his first 13 attempts from the field on his way to finishing with 33 points in Alaska’s 111-108 loss to Purefoods in 1991.The record was shared by “The Captain” Alvin Patrmonio, who also hit 13 consecutive 2-point shots ending up with 35 points during the 1991 First Conference in Sarsi’s 147-124 blowout win over Purefoods.A few months before Seigle’s return to form, Ali Peek converted his first 12 attempts on his way to 27 points in Coca-Cola’s 81-69 win over Alaska.Seigle had his best game since his return, but his team dropped a 99-95 loss to Red Bull.The series went to a hill-hill encounter and Red Bull escaped with a thrilling 86-84 win in Game 7 on a last-second basket from Junthy Valenzuela.But Seigle ended the season with a bang and was named by the PBA Press Corps as the Comeback Player of the Year awardee.He retired as an eight-time PBA champion, seven of them he won as a Beerman and the last he bagged playing for TNT in a reunion with San Miguel coach Jong Uichico.Seigle was a Rookie of the Year awardee in 1999 and was in serious discussions also for a possible MVP award during in that season. Benjie Paras went on to win his second MVP that year.Although he is considered one of the best players never to win the MVP, he is a four-time Finals MVP and also won the Best Player of the Conference twice.

After enduring a layoff caused by an injury, Danny Seigle showed he could still ball with the best of the competition.