[1] Three-time winning coach and former U/tex and San Miguel mentor Tommy Manotoc will call the shots for the Crispa Redmanizers beginning the league's 9th season.
The 6-foot-3 guard from Mississippi, who played four NBA seasons, debut with 64 points in Crispa's 120–119 win over Great Taste, which had last year's Reinforced Conference best import Norman Black.
On June 19, Bates scored 50 points as Crispa repeated over Great Taste, 113-107 in Cebu City, for their ninth straight victory without a loss as the Redmanizers' winning streak reach to 21 games, dating back to the All-Filipino Conference.
The Redmanizers took the first finals seat while Great Taste withstood the tough challenge of Gilbey's Gin in their knockout match to earn the right to meet Crispa in the best-of-five championship.
Gilbey's and Great Taste refuses to call it curtains and prevailed over San Miguel and Crispa respectively as the four semifinalist ended up with identical three wins and three losses.