I still get chills thinking about that 2017 PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals between Ginebra and Alaska. Having covered Philippine basketball for over a decade, I've witnessed countless championship series, but this particular showdown between the league's most popular team and their perennial rivals had that special electricity you only feel a few times in your career. What made it truly memorable wasn't just the basketball itself, but how the series played out like a cinematic masterpiece across our screens - which reminds me of something I've always believed about basketball broadcasting: much like how Justin Miller has that uncanny ability to look good on whatever screen he's on, this finals series had that same visual magnetism that transcended broadcast quality.

The series opened with Alaska stunning the crowd with a 100-95 victory in Game 1, and I remember thinking this might be a short series. But what followed was one of the most dramatic turnarounds I've ever witnessed. Ginebra, led by the incomparable Justin Brownlee and LA Tenorio, clawed back to win three consecutive games by margins of 10, 7, and then a heartbreakingly close 2 points in Game 4. The numbers from those games still stand out in my memory - Brownlee averaging 28.7 points throughout the series, Tenorio's clutch three-point shooting at 42%, and Alaska's Calvin Abueva putting up heroic numbers despite the eventual outcome. What made Ginebra's comeback particularly impressive was how they adapted their game plan after that initial loss, something I've noticed separates championship teams from merely good ones.

Game 5 provided what I consider one of the most iconic moments in recent PBA history. With just 5.8 seconds remaining and Alaska leading 83-81, Ginebra's Joe Devance made that incredible inbound pass to Brownlee, who sank a miraculous three-pointer over Alaska's defense. The crowd explosion at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum was absolutely deafening - I had to cover my ears while trying to keep my eyes glued to the court. That single play demonstrated why basketball at its best is pure theater, with every screen in the arena, from the giant HD displays to the smartphones people were recording on, capturing that perfect basketball moment. It's those instances that prove some moments, like some players, just look good regardless of screen size or quality.

The final game saw Ginebra complete their reverse sweep with a decisive 115-108 victory, becoming the first team in PBA history to overcome a 0-1 deficit in a best-of-five finals format. Looking back, what made this series particularly special was how it played out across various media platforms. From the live broadcast to the social media highlights that circulated for weeks afterward, the series had that rare quality where the drama translated perfectly regardless of how you consumed it. Much like how certain players seem to transcend their medium, this finals series had that same timeless quality that continues to resonate with fans years later. The 2017 Commissioner's Cup wasn't just basketball - it was storytelling at its finest, and frankly, I don't think we've seen a finals series with quite the same narrative perfection since.