Pop Cola Panthers
Pop Cola Panthers logo
Founded1990
DissolvedSold in 2001
HistoryPop Cola Sizzlers (1990, 1997)
Sarsi Sizzlers (1990)
Diet Sarsi Sizzlers (1991)
Swift Mighty Meaty Hotdogs (1991-1993)
Swift Mighty Meaties (1994)
Sunkist Orange Juicers (1995-1996, 2000)
Sunkist Orange Bottlers (1996)
Pop Cola Bottlers (1997)
Pop Cola 800s (1998-2000)
Pop Cola Panthers (2000-2001)
Team colorsSwift, Diet Sarsi and Pop Cola
Blue, Red, White
     
Sunkist
Orange, Blue, White
     
CompanyRFM Corporation
Head coachYeng Guiao, Derrick Pumaren, Turo Valenzona, Norman Black, Chot Reyes
OwnershipJose Ma. "Joey" A. Concepcion III
Championships4 championships

1992 Third Conference
1993 Commissioner's
1995 All-Filipino
1995 Commissioner's

7 Finals Appearances
Light uniform jersey
Team colours
Light uniform
Dark uniform jersey
Team colours
Dark uniform

The Pop Cola Panthers were a professional basketball team that played in the Philippine Basketball Association from 1990-2001. The franchise was owned by RFM Corporation. In 2001, when RFM Corporation sold its entire stake in Cosmos Bottling Corporation to Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI), the PBA franchise was included in the transaction. Upon ownership by CCBPI, the PBA franchise renamed the Coca-Cola Tigers beginning the 2002 PBA season[1] and was considered as an expansion team.

The franchise also played under the names Pop Cola/Diet Sarsi Sizzlers, Swift Mighty Meaty Hotdogs, Swift Mighty Meaties, Sunkist Orange Juicers/Bottlers and Pop Cola 800s.

History

Pop Cola was one of two expansion franchises to enter the league in the 1990 season, joining softdrink rival Pepsi-Cola, increasing the number of member teams in the pro league to eight.

In their 12-year stint in the PBA, they were known as the Pop Cola Sizzlers, Sarsi, Swift Mighty Meaty, Sunkist Orange Juicers, Sunkist Orange Bottlers and Pop Cola 800s. The team has used the Pop Cola name from 1997 until their final season in the PBA in 2001, although the team was known as Sunkist in the 2000 Commissioners Cup and was known as the Swift Panthers for the first few games of the 2001 Governors Cup. Their first finals appearance came in 1991 All-Filipino, as Diet Sarsi, lost to corporate rival Purefoods TJ Hotdogs, 3 games to 2 in a Best of Five finals series. The team's first PBA title came in 1992, when Swift defeated 7-Up four games-to-none to win the PBA Third Conference under head coach Yeng Guiao.

The franchise also fielded one of the dominant imports in PBA history in Tony Harris, who scored a PBA record 105 points for Swift when they defeated Ginebra 151-147 in a game held in Iloilo City on October 10, 1992.

In 1993, Swift traded Jack Tanuan, Ricric Marata and Andy De Guzman for Sta. Lucia in exchange for their former players in their PABL days, Vergel Meneses and Zaldy Realubit, and this gave Swift its second championship in the newly called Commissioners Cup, gaining revenge over their business rival, Purefoods Oodles, 4 games to 2, the Hotdogs were powered by best import Ronnie Thompkins. the team was title-less the following season in which head coach Yeng Guiao decided to moved over to Pepsi Mega, and Derek Pumaren taking over the coaching chores, Swift made it to the finals in the season-ending Governor's Cup, losing to Alaska in six games.

The 1995 season became a banner year for the team. Under the name Sunkist Orange Juicers, the team almost achieved a rare back-to-back winning the All-Filipino and Commissioner's Cup titles before finishing third overall in the season-ending Governor's Cup. The team was bannered by season MVP Vergel Meneses, Bonel Balingit, Boybits Victoria, Kenneth Duremdes and Rudy Distrito (who was banned in 1995 for his infamous hard foul on Alaska rookie Jeffrey Cariaso during the All-Filipino finals series).

Sunkist/Pop Cola suffered hard times in the 1996 and 1997 seasons before their fortunes changed in 1998 when the team won a few third-place finishes under head coach Norman Black, who even played one game during the Commissioner's Cup to lead the 800s to a third-place finish in the said tournament.

Pop Cola suffered two more losing seasons in 1999 and 2000 seasons but had a decent run in their final PBA season in 2001 under head coach Chot Reyes, copping third place honors in the All-Filipino Conference.

The franchise ended when RFM Corporation sold its PBA franchise to Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI), in connection to its sale of Cosmos Bottling Corporation to CCBPI in 2001.

Season-by-season records

Legend
  Champion
  Runner-up
  Third place
SeasonConferenceTeam nameOverall recordFinals
WL %
1990First ConferencePop Cola Sizzlers1028.263
All-Filipino Conference
Third Conference
1991First ConferenceDiet Sarsi Sizzlers3127.534
All-Filipino ConferencePurefoods 3, Sarsi 2
Third Conference
1992First ConferenceSwift Mighty Meaty Hotdogs /Meaties2928.509
All-Filipino Conference
Third ConferenceSwift 4, 7-Up 0
1993All-Filipino Cup4625.648
Commissioner's CupSwift 4, Purefoods 2
Governors CupSan Miguel 4, Swift 1
1994All-Filipino Cup4033.548
Commissioner's Cup
Governors CupAlaska 4, Swift 2
1995All-Filipino CupSunkist Orange Juicers4923.681Sunkist 4, Alaska 3
Commissioner's CupSunkist 4, Alaska 2
Governors Cup
1996All-Filipino Cup1622.421
Commissioner's CupSunkist Orange Bottlers
Governors Cup
1997All-Filipino CupPop Cola Bottlers1424.368
Commissioner's Cup
Governors Cup
1998All-Filipino CupPop Cola 800s2727.500
Commissioner's Cup
Centennial Cup
Governors Cup
1999All-Filipino Cup825.242
Commissioner's Cup
Governors Cup
2000All-Filipino Cup69.400
Commissioner's CupSunkist Orange Juicers46.400
Governors CupPop Cola Panthers27.222
2001All-Filipino Cup1110.524
Commissioner's Cup37.300
Governors Cup1010.500
Overall record306311.4964 championships

Awards

Individual awards

PBA Most Valuable Player Finals MVP PBA Best Player of the Conference
  • Vergel Meneses - 1994 Governors', 1995 All-Filipino, 1995 Commissioner's
PBA Rookie of the Year Award PBA All-Defensive Team PBA Mythical First Team
PBA Mythical Second Team PBA Most Improved Player PBA Sportsmanship Award
PBA Best Import

PBA Press Corps Individual Awards

Executive of the Year Baby Dalupan Coach of the Year Defensive Player of the Year
  • Elmer Yanga - 1993-1995
Bogs Adornado Comeback Player of the Year Mr. Quality Minutes All-Rookie Team

All-Star Weekend

All Star MVP Obstacle Challenge Three-point Shootout Slam Dunk Contest
  • Jack Santiago - 1996

Notable players

PBA's 25 greatest players

Other notable players

Imports

References

  1. ↑ Navarro, June (January 10, 2002). "Pop Cola now Coca Cola: Chot to get P32.9M as Tigers coach". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  2. ↑ Hernandez, John (December 28, 1997). "Mobiline frees Agustin via P3.38-M pact buyout". Manila Standard. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  3. ↑ Navarro, June (January 9, 2006). "Aces find new Johnny A in Mike Cortez". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Pop Sends Duremdes, Tanuan To Alaska For Lago, Fernandez". Manila Standard. October 27, 1997. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  5. ↑ Reyes, Marc Anthony (January 20, 2000). "Alaska Milk In Mourain As Pop Snares Lastimosa". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  6. ↑ "We Deserve A Player Of Meneses Caliber Black". Manila Standard. June 16, 1999. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  7. ↑ Zarate, Noel (April 9, 2021). "00-46: The best PBA players who wore these jersey numbers". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
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