When I first started covering Philippine basketball back in the early 2000s, the debate about the greatest three-point shooter in PBA history was already raging. I remember sitting courtside during the 2004 All-Star Weekend, watching players launch threes during warmups and thinking how the game had evolved from the physical inside play that dominated the 80s and 90s. The transformation has been remarkable - today's game practically lives and dies by the three-pointer, but the question remains: who truly mastered this art form better than anyone else in league history?
Let me be clear from the outset - I've always believed statistics only tell part of the story. You can look at career percentages and total makes until you're blue in the face, but the true measure of greatness comes in championship moments. I've seen countless players drill threes in empty gyms during practice, but the pressure of a packed Araneta Coliseum during a finals game? That's where legends separate themselves from mere specialists. The hard part was putting together that championship bout where every possession mattered, where defenses knew exactly what you wanted to do, and you still had to deliver. That's the crucible where true shooting greatness gets forged, not in random elimination games where the stakes are lower.
If we're talking pure numbers, Allan Caidic's name inevitably surfaces first - and for good reason. The "Triggerman" wasn't just a shooter; he was a phenomenon. I was fortunate enough to witness his 17-three-pointer game live in 1991, and even now, decades later, I can still remember the growing buzz in the stadium with each successive make. His career 38.9% from beyond the arc across 13 seasons doesn't fully capture his impact. What made Caidic special was his preparation - I've spoken with former teammates who described his obsessive shooting routines, often taking hundreds of shots after official practices had ended. He wasn't just gifted; he was relentless in honing that gift.
Yet here's where my personal bias might show - I've always had a soft spot for James Yap's shooting in big moments. While not a volume three-point shooter like some others, "Big Game James" had this uncanny ability to hit momentum-changing threes when everything was on the line. I recall specifically the 2010 Philippine Cup finals where he drained a crucial three from the top of the key with 1:23 left in Game 6 that essentially sealed the championship for Purefoods. That shot wasn't about perfect form or the highest percentage - it was about nerve, about wanting the ball when everyone in the building knew where it was going.
Then there's the modern era with players like Marcio Lassiter and Matthew Wright redefining what's possible from long range. Lassiter's shooting mechanics are arguably the purest I've seen in two decades of covering the league - his release is so quick and consistent it's almost robotic. He's currently sitting at around 42% from three for his career, which is just insane when you consider the degree of difficulty on many of his attempts. Modern defenses are designed specifically to limit three-point opportunities, yet he still finds ways to get clean looks and convert them at an elite level.
What often gets overlooked in these discussions is how the three-point shot has evolved strategically. When I first started watching the PBA in the late 90s, the three was still somewhat of a novelty weapon - something you used to punish zones or when trailing late. Today, it's the foundation of entire offensive systems. This evolution makes cross-era comparisons particularly challenging. Caidic was pioneering something relatively new during his prime, while today's shooters benefit from decades of accumulated knowledge about optimal shooting positions and defensive schemes.
The championship context matters immensely in this debate. I've always maintained that the best shooters aren't necessarily those with the prettiest forms or highest percentages, but those who make shots when championships are decided. The hard part was putting together that championship bout where every defensive possession is focused on stopping you, where scouts have identified every tendency, and you still find a way to deliver. That's why Jimmy Alapag deserves serious consideration in this conversation - his shooting percentages might not blow you away, but his willingness to take and make big threes in finals series was absolutely legendary.
Let me share a personal observation from covering hundreds of games - the truly great shooters all share a particular mentality. It's not just confidence, but something closer to selective amnesia about previous misses. I've interviewed most of the shooting greats over the years, and they all describe this ability to mentally reset after each shot, whether it swishes through or clangs off the rim. This psychological dimension is what separates the good shooters from the historic ones. When the game is on the line, they're not thinking about the three they missed two possessions ago - they're completely focused on the present opportunity.
If you forced me to pick one shooter as the greatest in PBA history, I'd have to go with Allan Caidic, though I acknowledge this isn't a unanimous choice. His combination of volume, efficiency, and era-defining moments gives him the slightest edge in my book. That said, I completely understand arguments for modern specialists like Lassiter or legendary clutch shooters like Yap. The beautiful thing about basketball is that these debates never have definitive answers - they're part of what makes following the sport so compelling across generations. What's undeniable is that the art of three-point shooting has produced some of the most memorable moments in Philippine basketball history, and will continue to shape how the game is played for years to come.