# Pop Cola Panthers > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Pop_Cola_Panthers > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Pop_Cola_Panthers.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_Cola_Panthers > Source revision: 1327276862 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Philippine basketball team owned by RFM Corporation This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Pop Cola Panthers" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) 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) Swift Panthers (2000) 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](/source/Basketball) team that played in the [Philippine Basketball Association](/source/Philippine_Basketball_Association) from [1990](/source/1990_PBA_season)-[2001](/source/2001_PBA_season). The franchise was owned by [RFM Corporation](/source/RFM_Corporation). In 2001, when [RFM Corporation](/source/RFM_Corporation) sold its entire stake in Cosmos Bottling Corporation to [Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc.](/source/Coca-Cola_Bottlers_Philippines%2C_Inc.) (CCBPI), the PBA franchise was included in the transaction. Upon ownership by CCBPI, the PBA franchise renamed the [Coca-Cola Tigers](/source/Coca-Cola_Tigers) beginning the [2002 PBA season](/source/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](/source/Talk_'N_Text_Tropang_Texters), 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](/source/1992_PBA_season), when Swift defeated 7-Up four games-to-none to win the PBA Third Conference under head coach [Yeng Guiao](/source/Yeng_Guiao). The franchise also fielded one of the dominant imports in PBA history in [Tony Harris](/source/Tony_Harris_(basketball%2C_born_1967)), who scored a PBA record 105 points for Swift when they defeated Ginebra 151–147 in a game held in [Iloilo City](/source/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](/source/1995_PBA_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](/source/Philippine_Basketball_Association_Most_Valuable_Player_award) [Vergel Meneses](/source/Vergel_Meneses), [Bonel Balingit](/source/Bonel_Balingit), Boybits Victoria, [Kenneth Duremdes](/source/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](/source/1996_PBA_season) and [1997 seasons](/source/1997_PBA_season) before their fortunes changed in [1998](/source/1998_PBA_season) when the team won a few third-place finishes under head coach [Norman Black](/source/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](/source/1999_PBA_season) and [2000 seasons](/source/2000_PBA_season) but had a decent run in their final PBA season in [2001](/source/2001_PBA_season) under head coach [Chot Reyes](/source/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.](/source/Coca-Cola_Bottlers_Philippines%2C_Inc.) (CCBPI), in connection to its sale of Cosmos Bottling Corporation to CCBPI in 2001. ## Season-by-season records Main article: [List of Pop Cola Panthers seasons](/source/List_of_Pop_Cola_Panthers_seasons) ## 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](/source/Ato_Agustin)[2] - "The Atomic Bomb" - [Johnny Abarrientos](/source/Johnny_Abarrientos)[3] #14 - "The Flying A" - [Kenneth Duremdes](/source/Kenneth_Duremdes)[4] - "Captain Marbel" - [Bernie Fabiosa](/source/Bernie_Fabiosa) #51 - "The Sultan of Swipe" played his final year in the league with the team in 1991. - [Jojo Lastimosa](/source/Jojo_Lastimosa)[5] - "Jolas" - [Vergel Meneses](/source/Vergel_Meneses)[6] - "The Aerial Voyager" ### Other notable players - [William Antonio](/source/William_Antonio) - [Nelson Asaytono](/source/Nelson_Asaytono) - [Bonel Balingit](/source/Bonel_Balingit) - [Nic Belasco](/source/Nic_Belasco) - [Sonny Cabatu](/source/Sonny_Cabatu) - Andy De Guzman - [Rudy Distrito](/source/Rudy_Distrito) - [Boyet Fernandez](/source/Boyet_Fernandez) - [Pido Jarencio](/source/Pido_Jarencio) - Dwight Lago - [Joey Loyzaga](/source/Joey_Loyzaga) - [Ric-Ric Marata](/source/Ric-Ric_Marata) - [Ali Peek](/source/Ali_Peek) - [Zaldy Realubit](/source/Zaldy_Realubit) - Elmer Reyes - Eric Reyes - [Terry Saldaña](/source/Terry_Salda%C3%B1a) - [Al Solis](/source/Al_Solis) - [Jack Tanuan](/source/Jack_Tanuan) - Boybits Victoria - [Elpidio Villamin](/source/Elpidio_Villamin) - Jasper Ocampo ### Imports - [Michael Anderson](/source/Michael_Anderson_(basketball)) - [Dexter Boney](/source/Dexter_Boney) - David Booth - [Marques Bragg](/source/Marques_Bragg) - [Norris Coleman](/source/Norris_Coleman) - [Jevon Crudup](/source/Jevon_Crudup) - [Jay Edwards](/source/Jay_Edwards_(basketball)) - [Harold Ellis](/source/Harold_Ellis_(basketball)) - [Rosell Ellis](/source/Rosell_Ellis)[7] - [Sherell Ford](/source/Sherell_Ford) - [Tremaine Fowlkes](/source/Tremaine_Fowlkes) - [Paul Graham](/source/Paul_Graham_(basketball_player)) - [Ronnie Grandison](/source/Ronnie_Grandison) - [Sean Green](/source/Sean_Green_(basketball)) - [Tony Harris](/source/Tony_Harris_(basketball%2C_born_1967)) - [Shawn Harvey](/source/Shawn_Harvey_(basketball)) - [David Henderson](/source/David_Henderson_(basketball)) - [Sean Higgins](/source/Sean_Higgins_(basketball)) - [Byron Houston](/source/Byron_Houston) - [Alfredrick Hughes](/source/Alfredrick_Hughes) - Herb Jones - [Marcus Liberty](/source/Marcus_Liberty) - [Lewis Lloyd](/source/Lewis_Lloyd) - Cedric McCullough - Lester Neal - [Victor Page](/source/Victor_Page) - Galen Robinson - Stan Rose - [Kenny Sanders](/source/Kenny_Sanders) - [Jason Sasser](/source/Jason_Sasser) - [Stevin Smith](/source/Stevin_Smith) - [Carl Thomas](/source/Carl_Thomas_(basketball)) - Ronnie Thompkins - [Bernard Thompson](/source/Bernard_Thompson) - [Marcus Timmons](/source/Marcus_Timmons) - [Kelvin Upshaw](/source/Kelvin_Upshaw) - [Jamie Watson](/source/Jamie_Watson_(basketball)) - Bryatt Vann ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-june1_1-0)** Navarro, June (January 10, 2002). ["Pop Cola now Coca Cola: Chot to get P32.9M as Tigers coach"](https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA15). Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 18, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Hernandez, John (December 28, 1997). ["Mobiline frees Agustin via P3.38-M pact buyout"](https://books.google.com/books?id=OlMbAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA16). Manila Standard. Retrieved February 18, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Navarro, June (January 9, 2006). ["Aces find new Johnny A in Mike Cortez"](https://books.google.com/books?id=HFg1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA64). Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 18, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Pop Sends Duremdes, Tanuan To Alaska For Lago, Fernandez"](https://books.google.com/books?id=DaAVAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA12). Manila Standard. October 27, 1997. Retrieved February 18, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Reyes, Marc Anthony (January 20, 2000). ["Alaska Milk In Mourain As Pop Snares Lastimosa"](https://books.google.com/books?id=_Yc1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA28). Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 18, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["We Deserve A Player Of Meneses Caliber Black"](https://books.google.com/books?id=S5QVAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA36). Manila Standard. June 16, 1999. Retrieved February 18, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Zarate, Noel (April 9, 2021). ["00-46: The best PBA players who wore these jersey numbers"](https://www.espn.ph/basketball/pba/story/_/id/29009982/who-was-best-pba-player-wear-jersey-number-00-46). *ESPN.com*. Retrieved February 18, 2022. Preceded by (start) PBA teams genealogies 1990-2001 Succeeded by Coca-Cola Tigers v t e Pop Cola Panthers Formerly the Pop Cola Sizzlers, Sarsi Sizzlers, Diet Sarsi Sizzlers, Swift Mighty Meaty Hotdogs, Swift Mighty Meaties, Sunkist Orange Juicers, Sunkist Orange Bottlers, Pop Cola Bottlers, Pop Cola 800s and Swift Panthers Founded in 1990 Disbanded in 2002 Owned by the Cosmos Bottling Corporation, a subsidiary of the RFM Corporation The franchise Franchise All-time roster Seasons 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 Seasons (11) 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Culture And Lore The Bull The Aerial Voyager Yey Ye Bonel "Almost Grand Slam" Championship Navigation Boxes v t e Swift Mighty Meaty Hotdogs 1992 PBA Third Conference Champions 8 Al Solis 10 Eric Reyes 11 Nelson Asaytono 12 Bonel Balingit 13 Elpidio Villamin 14 Rudy Distrito 15 Juancho Estrada 17 Terry Saldaña 22 Tony Harris (Import) 23 Ric-Ric Marata 24 Richard Bognot 26 Andy De Guzman 41 Jack Tanuan Coach Yeng Guiao Assistant Roehl Nadurata v t e Swift Mighty Meaty Hotdogs 1993 PBA Commissioner's Cup champions 8 Al Solis 10 Eric Reyes 11 Nelson Asaytono 12 Bonel Balingit 13 Elpidio Villamin 14 Rudy Distrito 16 Teroy Abarillo 17 Terry Saldaña 18 Vergel Meneses 24 Richard Bognot 35 Zaldy Realubit 44 Ronnie Thompkins (import) 48 Cadel Mosqueda Coach Yeng Guiao Assistant Roehl Nadurata v t e Sunkist Orange Juicers 1995 PBA All-Filipino Cup Champions 4 Bonel Balingit 8 Al Solis 9 Boybits Victoria 10 Enrique Reyes 11 Nelson Asaytono 13 Elpidio Villamin 16 Teroy Abarillo 18 Vergel Meneses 19 Kenneth Duremdes 23 Ricardo Marata 35 Zaldy Realubit Coach Derrick Pumaren Assistant Gabby Velasco v t e Sunkist Orange Juicers 1995 PBA Commissioner's Cup champions 4 Bonel Balingit 8 Al Solis 9 Boybits Victoria 10 Enrique Reyes 11 Nelson Asaytono 13 Elpidio Villamin 16 Teroy Abarillo 18 Vergel Meneses 19 Kenneth Duremdes 23 Ricardo Marata 31 Ronnie Grandison (import) 35 Zaldy Realubit Coach Derrick Pumaren Assistant Gabby Velasco v t e San Miguel Corporation Founder Enrique María Barretto de Ycaza Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang Vice Chairman, President and COO John Paul L. 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 Chicken Timplados Hotshots Petron Blaze Spikers (defunct) Alab Pilipinas (defunct) 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 v t e Former Philippine Basketball Association teams 7-Up Uncolas Air21 Express1 Alaska Aces2 Barako Bull Energy3 Barako Bull Energy Boosters4 Carrier Weathermakers Country Fair Hotdogs Crispa Redmanizers Filmanbank Galleon Shippers Great Taste Coffee Makers Manila Beer Brewmasters Mariwasa - Galerie Dominique NorthPort Batang Pier5 Pop Cola Panthers Powerade Tigers Shell Turbo Chargers Sta. Lucia Realtors Tanduay Rhum Masters Tefilin Polyesters Toyota Super Corollas U/Tex Wranglers 1 Known as Shopinas.com from 2011 to 2012 2 Known as Hills Bros. in 1987 3 Known as FedEx / Air21 from 2002 to 2011 4 Known as Red Bull from 2000 to 2009 5 Known as GlobalPort from 2012 to 2018 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pop Cola Panthers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_Cola_Panthers) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_Cola_Panthers?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.