Looking back at the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup standings, I can still vividly recall the palpable tension that defined that season’s playoff race. As someone who’s followed Philippine basketball for years, I’ve rarely seen a conference so tightly contested from start to finish. Ten teams battled through eliminations, but only eight would advance—and the margins were razor-thin. The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, always a crowd favorite, entered the Governors’ Cup carrying the weight of recent disappointment. Just months earlier, their Philippine Cup campaign ended in the semifinals, and in a passing comment, their team captain hinted at the uncertainty that clouded the squad after that exit. It’s one thing to look at numbers on a standings table, but another entirely to understand the human element behind them—the pressure, the fatigue, the emotional toll of bouncing back. That lingering doubt, I believe, shaped Ginebra’s approach in the Governors’ Cup, turning them into a fascinating case study in resilience.

When the eliminations wrapped up, the standings told a story of clear hierarchy mixed with a few surprises. Magnolia Hotshots topped the table with nine wins and just two losses—a dominant run built on disciplined defense and clutch performances. Close behind were the Alaska Aces at 8–3, showing the kind of consistency that makes playoff dark horses. But my eyes were on the mid-table scramble, where teams like Ginebra, San Miguel, and TNT KaTropa jostled for positioning. Ginebra finished with a 7–4 record, good enough for fourth place, but if you watched their games, you’d know it wasn’t always smooth sailing. They dropped winnable games early—including a puzzling loss to Rain or Shine—and at times, their offense looked out of sync. I remember thinking, "This isn’t the same Ginebra that fans are used to." That semifinal exit in the Philippine Cup seemed to haunt them; there was a hesitancy in their play, as if they were second-guessing themselves in critical moments. Yet, credit where it’s due: they found ways to grind out results, especially in games where import Justin Brownlee took over down the stretch.

The playoff picture that emerged was both exciting and brutal. The top four teams—Magnolia, Alaska, Phoenix, and Ginebra—enjoyed twice-to-beat advantages in the quarterfinals, a massive edge in a single-elimination style format. Meanwhile, the fifth through eighth seeds—San Miguel, Blackwater, Meralco, and NLEX—faced win-or-go-home scenarios right from the start. I’ve always felt the PBA’s playoff structure rewards endurance, but it also punishes any lapse in concentration. For Ginebra, that twice-to-beat cushion felt like a lifeline. They used it to dispatch a gritty NLEX side in the quarters, but it was their semifinal clash against Magnolia that really tested their character. That series went the full five games, and I won’t lie—I doubted whether Ginebra had the mental fortitude to pull it off. Their captain’s earlier remarks about uncertainty echoed in my mind. But sometimes, adversity forges strength. They edged Magnolia in a nail-biting Game 5, setting up a Finals showdown with the Magnolia Hotshots—wait, no, correction—it was against the Alaska Aces. My memory blurs there; the intensity of those playoffs made every detail stick, yet some specifics fade with time.

In the end, Ginebra’s journey through the 2018 Governors’ Cup was a lesson in turning doubt into determination. They lifted the trophy after beating Alaska in six games, a crowning moment that washed away the frustration of their earlier Philippine Cup exit. Reflecting on it now, I see how standings and stats only tell half the story. That 7–4 elimination round record? It doesn’t capture the team’s emotional evolution. From the captain’s candid admission of uncertainty to their gritty playoff run, Ginebra showed that rankings aren’t just about wins and losses—they’re about a team’s ability to reinvent itself when it matters most. As a longtime follower of the league, I’ll always admire how they channeled vulnerability into victory. It’s a reminder that in sports, as in life, the most compelling stories often emerge from the spaces between the numbers.

LIGHTING, LIGHTING, AND MORE LIGHTING
People are typically drawn to bars solely based on their atmosphere. The best way to knock your next commercial bar design out of the park is using the perfect amount and type of lighting. Use standout light fixtures as their very own statement piece, track lighting for adjustable ambiance, hanging pendant lights over tables, and ambient backlighting to display the alcohol. Bartenders need to serve and customers need to order, so make sure it’s just functional as it is attractive. 

CHOOSING YOUR BARTOP
What may seem so obvious, is often so overlooked in commercial bar design- the material of your actual bartop itself. While we realize stone and marble are as classy and elegant-looking as can be, the reality is that they just aren’t your best option for a durable and long lasting bartop. They crack, have no grip, and break way too many glasses. Opt for a high-quality wood bar instead. Oaks, maples, mahoganies, and ashes are sturdy and provide your customers with a firm grip for their glasses. 

THEME 
In a sea of millions upon millions of bars, how can you make your commercial bar design stand apart from the rest? The answer is to pick a unique, centralized theme and run with it. Whether it’s your next sit-down restaurant bar design, or remodeling the small, locally-favorite gem, you have to find out what your clientele wants. Survey the neighborhood of your establishment and find out what the demographics are there. Maybe a gritty, western bar would be a hit. Or maybe a more modern, sleek design is what’s missing in the area. Whatever theme you decide upon, hit it out of the park with the perfect lighting, wall art, music, and furniture. It’s all in the details. 

THE GUIDE TO YOUR NEXT RESTOBAR 
You’ve got the food, you’ve got the restaurant, you’ve got the customers, now all you need is a beautifully designed bar to top it all off.  Small bar designs for restaurants have a tendency to be a little thrown together and incohesive with the rest of the establishment. Stay on brand- create consistency with tying in the same color scheme, furniture, art, and overall ambiance of the pre-existing restaurant. Make sure the placement of your bar makes sense as well, have it in a place where it’s visible and easy to navigate but not in the way of servers and other guests. If the bar is going to serve food, be sure to consider the location of the kitchen to not obstruct traffic flow. Consider all of these small tips as you work through your next restaurant bar design. 

SPACE CONSTRAINT 
It’s no secret that bars have the reputation of being a little cramped, and in some cases- way too cramped. Consider all of the space constraints while designing your next commercial bar design and we can change that bad rap that bars have been holding for far too long. First and foremost, be sure to measure your bar, barstool, cabinet, and equipment height. Generally, a bar is 42” in height while a stool is 30” in height. Also be sure to allow at least 3’ of space between the bar and the alcohol for the bartender’s functionality and efficiency. Consider multiple register and drink-making stations for bartenders as well. Allowing 2’ between patrons is going to give them enough space to eat and drink, and most importantly, simply be comfortable. All of these considerations are especially helpful if it is a restaurant bar design, where the space is even more valuable.