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As I look back at the 2017 PBA season, one particular game still stands out vividly in my memory - that incredible comeback by the Red Lions that perfectly encapsulated their championship journey. I remember watching that match thinking they were done for, trailing 13 points with that dismal 10-23 score after the opening quarter. Honestly, I'd nearly written them off, and I suspect most fans in the arena felt the same way. But what unfolded next became the defining moment of their season and ultimately shaped the final team standings in ways nobody could have predicted.

The transformation began when coach made that crucial substitution, bringing in Jomel Puno who immediately changed the game's energy. I've always believed basketball comebacks start with defense, and Puno demonstrated exactly that with three consecutive defensive stops that shifted the momentum. Then came Janti Miller's offensive explosion - the guy was absolutely unstoppable in the paint, scoring 8 points in just under three minutes. What impressed me most was how Zed Etulle, often overlooked in regular season discussions, became the steady hand that guided their offense during those pressure-filled moments. All three finished with exactly 14 points each, which I found remarkable not just for the statistical symmetry but for what it represented - a truly balanced team effort when it mattered most.

That particular victory became the catalyst for their remarkable climb in the standings. Before that game, they were sitting at 5th place with what I recall was a 12-15 record, but that win sparked a seven-game winning streak that propelled them to finish the elimination rounds at 24-18. The numbers tell part of the story, but having covered the league for years, I can tell you the psychological impact was even more significant. Teams facing them afterward seemed to play with this underlying fear, knowing no lead was safe against their relentless comeback ability. I remember chatting with opposing coaches who admitted they'd spend extra preparation time specifically for fourth-quarter scenarios against the Red Lions.

Their final ranking of 3rd place in the conference standings doesn't fully capture how close they came to topping the league. In my analysis, they were probably two possessions away from finishing first overall - that heartbreaking two-point loss to the top-ranked team in their penultimate game essentially decided the final rankings. Still, jumping from 5th to 3rd in those crucial final weeks demonstrated a resilience I haven't seen in many PBA teams throughout my years covering the sport. The way they managed their player rotations, especially giving adequate rest to veterans while developing younger players like Etulle, became a blueprint other teams would later study and attempt to replicate.

What many statisticians miss when looking at those final 2017 standings is how much that specific comeback game influenced the entire league's approach to roster construction. Teams started valuing bench depth more seriously after seeing how the Red Lions' second unit could completely change a game's outcome. I noticed several franchises began investing more in their development leagues the following season, clearly learning from how players like Puno, Miller, and Etulle - none of whom were star names at the season's start - could deliver star-level performances when needed. The league overall became more competitive because of this shift, with closer games becoming the norm rather than the exception.

Reflecting on that season now, I'm convinced we witnessed something special that would influence Philippine basketball for years to come. The Red Lions demonstrated that in modern basketball, having multiple reliable options often trumps having one dominant superstar. Their 2017 campaign, culminating in that respectable 3rd place finish, proved that team chemistry and resilience could overcome talent deficits. Even today, when I see teams mounting improbable comebacks, I find myself comparing them to that 2017 Red Lions squad that refused to quit when down 13 early. That season taught me - and I believe many coaches and players - that the standings don't just reflect talent, but heart, preparation, and the ability to perform under pressure.