The 2008 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Fiesta Conference, also known as the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference for sponsorship reasons, was the last conference of the 2007-08 PBA season. The tournament began on March 29 with a game between the Coca-Cola Tigers and the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals at Panabo, Davao del Norte. Opening ceremonies were held the day after at the Araneta Coliseum.

All ten teams are permitted to acquire one non-Filipino (the "import") of unlimited height as reinforcement. Furthermore, the two worst performers in the elimination round of the previous conference (the Coca-Cola Tigers and the Welcoat Dragons), will also be able to acquire another import but with a height limit of 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m).

Tournament format

  • Double round eliminations. Worst team would be eliminated.
  • Sixth- to ninth-best teams figure in the one-game wildcard playoffs. Sixth seed vs. Ninth seed Seventh seed vs. Eighth seed Winners will figure in a playoff to advance to the quarterfinals.
  • Third- to fifth-best teams, and the winner of the wildcards advance to the best-of-three quarterfinals. Third seed vs. winner of wildcards. Fourth seed vs. fifth seed.
  • The two best teams and the winners of the quarterfinals advance to the best-of-seven semifinals. First seed vs. winner of the third seed/wildcard winner quarterfinal series Second seed vs. winner of the fourth seed/fifth seed quarterfinal series
  • The winners of the semifinals advance to the best-of-seven Finals; the losers figure in a one-game third-place playoff.

Elimination round

Team standings

PosTeamvteWLPCTGBQualification
1Air21 Express126.667Advance to semifinals
2Red Bull Barako117.6111
3Barangay Ginebra Kings108.5562Advance to quarterfinals
4Coca-Cola Tigers108.5562
5Magnolia Beverage Masters108.5562
6Alaska Aces99.5003Advance to wildcard round
7Talk 'N Text Phone Pals99.5003
8Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants810.4444
9Sta. Lucia Realtors711.3895
10Welcoat Dragons414.2228

Schedule

Round 1Round 2
Team ╲ Game123456789101112131415161718
Air21WELRBBPFCokeTNTALABGKSLRCokeMBMBGKRBBSLRALATNTWELMBMPF
AlaskaSLRBGKMBMWELRBBA21TNTPFCokeRBBTNTPFA21WELSLRCokeMBMBGK
Barangay GinebraRBBALASLRCokeMBMPFA21TNTWELA21MBMRBBSLRPFCokeTNTWELALA
Coca-ColaTNTPFWELA21BGKSLRRBBMBMALAA21RBBWELPFTNTBGKMBMALASLR
MagnoliaPFSLRALATNTBGKWELRBBCokePFA21BGKTNTWELRBBSLRCokeA21ALA
PurefoodsMBMCokeA21RBBWELBGKALAMBMTNTSLRALACokeWELBGKRBBTNTSLRA21
Red BullBGKA21TNTPFALACokeMBMSLRWELALACokeA21BGKMBMPFWELTNTSLR
Sta. LuciaALAMBMBGKTNTCokeWELRBBA21TNTWELPFA21BGKMBMALAPFCokeRBB
Talk 'N TextCokeWELRBBMBMSLRA21ALAWELBGKSLRPFALAMBMCokeA21PFBGKRBB
WelcoatA21TNTCokeALAPFMBMSLRTNTRBBBGKSLRCokeMBMPFALAA21RBBBGK

Bracket

Wildcard phase (Single elimination)Wildcard phase (Single elimination)Quarterfinals (Best-of-3)Semifinals (Best-of-7)Finals (Best-of-7)
6Alaska853Brgy. Ginebra4
9Sta. Lucia993Brgy. Ginebra22Red Bull0
9Sta. Lucia1119Sta. Lucia0
7Talk 'N Text963Brgy. Ginebra4
7Talk 'N Text981Air213
8Purefoods83
1Air214Third place
4Coca-Cola15Magnolia2
5Magnolia22Red Bull102
5Magnolia90
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Wildcard phase

First round

ABC
July 9
Alaska Aces 86, Sta. Lucia Realtors 99
Ynares Center, Antipolo
ABC
July 9
Talk 'N Text Phone Pals 98, Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants 83
Ynares Center, Antipolo

Second round

ABC
July 11
Talk 'N Text Phone Pals 96, Sta. Lucia Realtors 111
Ynares Center, Antipolo

Quarterfinals

(3) Barangay Ginebra vs. (9) Sta. Lucia

ABC
July 13
Barangay Ginebra Kings 92, Sta. Lucia Realtors 90
Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
ABC
July 16
Barangay Ginebra Kings 113, Sta. Lucia Realtors 85
Barangay Ginebra wins series, 2–0
Ynares Center, Antipolo

(4) Coca-Cola vs. (5) Magnolia

ABC
July 13
Coca-Cola Tigers 96, Magnolia Beverage Masters 108
Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
ABC
July 16
Coca-Cola Tigers 91, Magnolia Beverage Masters 90
Ynares Center, Antipolo
ABC
July 18
Coca-Cola Tigers 60, Magnolia Beverage Masters 78
Magnolia wins series, 2–1
Ynares Center, Antipolo

Semifinals

(1) Air21 vs. (5) Magnolia

ABC
July 20
Air21 Express 87, Magnolia Beverage Masters 113
Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
ABC
July 23
Air21 Express 103, Magnolia Beverage Masters 102
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
ABC
July 25
Air21 Express 82, Magnolia Beverage Masters 78
Ynares Center, Antipolo
ABC
July 27
Air21 Express 102, Magnolia Beverage Masters 104
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
ABC
July 30
Air21 Express 82, Magnolia Beverage Masters 72
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
ABC
August 1
Air21 Express 99, Magnolia Beverage Masters 91
Air21 wins series, 4–2
Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

(2) Red Bull vs. (3) Barangay Ginebra

ABC
July 20
Red Bull Barako 82, Barangay Ginebra Kings 108
Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
ABC
July 23
Red Bull Barako 104, Barangay Ginebra Kings 111
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
ABC
July 25
Red Bull Barako 91, Barangay Ginebra Kings 94
Ynares Center, Antipolo
ABC
July 27
Red Bull Barako 97, Barangay Ginebra Kings 101 (OT)
Barangay Ginebra wins series, 4–0
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

Third place playoff

ABC
August 6
Red Bull Barako 102, Magnolia Beverage Masters 90
Scoring by quarter: 28-22, 15-26, 27-37, 20-17
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

Finals

ABC
August 6 7:20 p.m.
Air21 Express 96, Barangay Ginebra Kings 105
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City Attendance: 16,028 Referees: Aldaba, Ting, Maurillo
ABC
August 8 7:20 p.m.
Air21 Express 124, Barangay Ginebra Kings 90
Ynares Center, Antipolo Referees: Montiel, Ferrer, Pascual
TV5
August 10 6:30 p.m.
Air21 Express 97, Barangay Ginebra Kings 87
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City Attendance: 15,142
TV5
August 13 7:20 p.m.
Air21 Express 77, Barangay Ginebra Kings 90
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City Referees: Cruz, Aldaba, Quilinguen
TV5
August 15 7:20 p.m.
Air21 Express 76, Barangay Ginebra Kings 73
Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay Referees: Cruz, Calungcaguin, Guevarra
TV5
August 17 6:30 p.m.
Air21 Express 75, Barangay Ginebra Kings 80
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City Attendance: 18,043
TV5
August 20 7:20 p.m.
Air21 Express 84, Barangay Ginebra Kings 97
Barangay Ginebra wins series, 4–3
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City Attendance: 22,902

Awards

Imports

The following is the list of imports, which had played for their respective teams at least once, with the returning imports in italics. Highlighted are the imports who stayed with their respective teams for the whole conference.

#NameTeamDebuted
1United States Calvin CageCoca-Cola TigersMarch 29 vs. Talk 'N Text
2United States Jason DixonCoca-Cola TigersMarch 29 vs. Talk 'N Text
3United States Aaron McGheeTalk 'N Text Phone PalsMarch 29 vs. Coca-Cola
4United States Steve ThomasAir21 ExpressMarch 30 vs. Welcoat
5United States Jason KeepWelcoat DragonsMarch 30 vs. Air21
6United States Cory SanteeWelcoat DragonsMarch 30 vs. Air21
7Mexico Adam ParadaRed Bull BarakoMarch 30 vs. Brgy. Ginebra
8United States Rahshon TurnerBarangay Ginebra KingsMarch 30 vs. Red Bull
9United States Wesley WilsonSta. Lucia RealtorsApril 2 vs. Alaska
10United States Randy HolcombAlaska AcesApril 2 vs. Sta. Lucia
11United States Darius RicePurefoods Tender Juicy GiantsApril 2 vs. Magnolia
12United States Jameel WatkinsMagnolia Beverage MastersApril 2 vs. Purefoods
13United States Marquis GainousWelcoat DragonsApril 9 vs. Coca-Cola
14United States Ernest BrownBarangay Ginebra KingsApril 12 vs. Sta. Lucia
15United States George Gervin, Jr.Coca-Cola TigersApril 13 vs. Air21
16United States Chris AlexanderBarangay Ginebra KingsMay 2 vs. Purefoods
17Morocco Reda RhalimiPurefoods Tender Juicy GiantsMay 10 vs. Alaska
18United States Donald CopelandCoca-Cola TigersMay 23 vs. Red Bull
19United States Jamar BrownSta. Lucia RealtorsJune 1 vs. Air21
20United States Lee Benson, Jr.Sta. Lucia RealtorsJune 13 vs. Magnolia
21United States Amal McCaskillMagnolia Beverage MastersJune 13 vs. Sta. Lucia
22United States Terrence LeatherTalk 'N Text Phone PalsJune 13 vs. Air21
23United States Alex ComptonWelcoat DragonsJune 18 vs. Air21
24United States Brandon DeanCoca-Cola TigersJuly 13 vs. Magnolia

External links