Pop Cola Panthers

Pop Cola Panthers
Pop Cola Panthers
Founded	1990
Dissolved	Sold in 2001
History	Pop 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 colors	Swift, Diet Sarsi and Pop Cola; Blue, Red, White; ; Sunkist; Orange, Blue, White;
Company	RFM Corporation
Head coach	Yeng Guiao, Derrick Pumaren, Turo Valenzona, Norman Black, Chot Reyes
Ownership	Jose Ma. "Joey" A. Concepcion III
Championships	4 championships 1992 Third Conference ; 1993 Commissioner's ; 1995 All-Filipino ; 1995 Commissioner's 7 Finals Appearances
Light uniform	Dark uniform

The Pop Cola Panthers were a professional basketball team that played in 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

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

Season	Conference	Team name	Overall record			Finals
Season	Conference	Team name	W	L	%	Finals
1990	First Conference	Pop Cola Sizzlers	10	28	.263
	All-Filipino Conference
	Third Conference
1991	First Conference	Diet Sarsi Sizzlers	31	27	.534
	All-Filipino Conference					Purefoods 3, Sarsi 2
	Third Conference
1992	First Conference	Swift Mighty Meaty Hotdogs /Meaties	29	28	.509
	All-Filipino Conference
	Third Conference					Swift 4, 7-Up 0
1993	All-Filipino Cup		46	25	.648
	Commissioner's Cup					Swift 4, Purefoods 2
	Governors Cup					San Miguel 4, Swift 1
1994	All-Filipino Cup		40	33	.548
	Commissioner's Cup
	Governors Cup					Alaska 4, Swift 2
1995	All-Filipino Cup	Sunkist Orange Juicers	49	23	.681	Sunkist 4, Alaska 3
	Commissioner's Cup					Sunkist 4, Alaska 2
	Governors Cup
1996	All-Filipino Cup		16	22	.421
	Commissioner's Cup	Sunkist Orange Bottlers
	Governors Cup	Sunkist Orange Bottlers
1997	All-Filipino Cup	Pop Cola Bottlers	14	24	.368
	Commissioner's Cup
	Governors Cup
1998	All-Filipino Cup	Pop Cola 800s	27	27	.500
	Commissioner's Cup
	Centennial Cup
	Governors Cup
1999	All-Filipino Cup		8	25	.242
	Commissioner's Cup
	Governors Cup
2000	All-Filipino Cup		6	9	.400
	Commissioner's Cup	Sunkist Orange Juicers	4	6	.400
	Governors Cup	Pop Cola Panthers	2	7	.222
2001	All-Filipino Cup		11	10	.524
	Commissioner's Cup		3	7	.300
	Governors Cup		10	10	.500
Overall record			306	311	.496	4 championships

Awards

Individual awards

PBA Most Valuable Player	Finals MVP	PBA Best Player of the Conference
Vergel Meneses - 1995		Vergel Meneses - 1994 Governors', 1995 All-Filipino, 1995 Commissioner's
PBA Rookie of the Year Award	PBA All-Defensive Team	PBA Mythical First Team
	Elpidio Villamin - 1995	Nelson Asaytono - 1992-1993 Al Solis - 1992-1993 Vergel Meneses - 1994-1995
PBA Mythical Second Team	PBA Most Improved Player	PBA Sportsmanship Award
Elpidio Villamin - 1991 Vergel Meneses - 1993 Nelson Asaytono - 1994-1995 Boybits Victoria - 1994-1995 Bonel Balingit - 1995 Rudy Hatfield - 2001	Vergel Meneses - 1993 Bonel Balingit - 1995
PBA Best Import
Tony Harris - 1992 Third Ronnie Thompkins - 1993 Commissioner's Ronnie Grandison - 1995 Commissioner's Stevin Smith - 1995 Governors'

PBA Press Corps Individual Awards

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

All-Star Weekend

All Star MVP	Obstacle Challenge	Three-point Shootout	Slam Dunk Contest
Vergel Meneses - 1995, 1998 Kenneth Duremdes - 1996	Jack Santiago - 1996	Ric-Ric Marata - 1996 Jasper Ocampo - 1998-1999	Vergel Meneses - 1993

Notable players

PBA's 25 greatest players

Ato Agustin^[2] - "The Atomic Bomb"
Johnny Abarrientos^[3] #14 - "The Flying A"
Kenneth Duremdes^[4] - "Captain Marbel"
Bernie Fabiosa #51 - "The Sultan of Swipe" played his final year in the league with the team in 1991.
Jojo Lastimosa^[5] - "Jolas"
Vergel Meneses^[6] - "The Aerial Voyager"

Other notable players

Imports

References

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

Preceded by (start)	PBA teams genealogies 1990-2001	Succeeded by Coca-Cola Tigers

[june1-1] 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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v t e Pop Cola Panthers
Formerly the Swift Mighty Meaties and Sunkist Orange Juicers Founded in 1990 Disbanded in 2002 Owned by the Cosmos Bottling Corporation, a subsidiary of the RFM Corporation
The franchise	Franchise All-time roster
Coaches	Guiao Pumaren Valenzona Black Reyes
Championships (4)	1992 PBA Third 1993 Commissioner's 1995 All-Filipino 1995 Commissioner's
Runner-up finishes (3)	1991 All-Filipino 1993 Governors 1994 Governors
Culture And Lore	The Bull The Aerial Voyager Yey Ye Bonel "Almost Grand Slam"

v t e San Miguel Corporation
Founder Enrique María Barretto de Ycaza Chairman Vacant Vice Chairman, President (CEO) and COO Ramon S. Ang
Core subsidiaries	San Miguel Brewery Ginebra San Miguel San Miguel Food and Beverage San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corporation San Miguel Properties
New investments	Petron Corporation SMC Global Power Holdings Corporation San Miguel Energy Corporation San Miguel Holdings Corporation Manila North Harbor Port, Inc. Bank of Commerce Northern Cement Corporation SMC Asia Car Distributors Corporation Delta Djakarta
Key brands	Ginebra San Miguel Magnolia Monterey Petron Purefoods Red Horse Beer San Miguel Pale Pilsen
Sports teams	San Miguel Beermen Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Magnolia Hotshots Petron Blaze Spikers (defunct) San Miguel Alab Pilipinas Magnolia Purewater Wizards (defunct) San Miguel Beermen (ABL) (defunct) Pop Cola Panthers (defunct) Powerade Tigers (defunct)
Former chief executives	Enrique María Barretto de Ycaza Pedro Pablo Róxas Antonio Róxas de Ayala Andrés Soriano Andrés Soriano Jr. Andrés Soriano III Eduardo M. Cojuangco Jr.
Related articles	Red Horse Beer Pambansang Muziklaban Mahou-San Miguel Group
Headquarters 40 San Miguel Avenue, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila