Pop Cola Panthers

{{Short description|Philippine basketball team owned by RFM Corporation}} {{More citations needed|date=February 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Use Philippine English|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox NBA team |name=Pop Cola Panthers |logo=Pop Cola Panthers.jpg |founded=1990 |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) |colors='''Swift, Diet Sarsi and Pop Cola''' Blue, Red, White {{Color box|blue}} {{Color box|red}} {{Color box|white}} '''Sunkist''' Orange, Blue, White {{Color box|#FE5A1D}} {{Color box|blue}} {{Color box|white}} |company=[[RFM Corporation]] |owner=Jose Ma. "Joey" A. Concepcion III  |coach=[[Yeng Guiao]], [[Derrick Pumaren]], [[Turo Valenzona]], [[Norman Black]], [[Chot Reyes]] |championships= '''4 championships'''

7 Finals Appearances

|dissolved=Sold in 2001 |1_title=Light uniform |1_pattern_b= |1_body=ffffff|1_shorts=ffffff |2_title=Dark uniform |2_pattern_b= |2_body=0000ff|2_shorts=0000ff }} The '''Pop Cola Panthers''' were a professional [[basketball]] team that played in the [[Philippine Basketball Association]] from [[1990 PBA season|1990]]-[[2001 PBA season|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]]<ref name="june1">{{cite news |last1=Navarro |first1=June |title=Pop Cola now Coca Cola: Chot to get P32.9M as Tigers coach |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA15 |access-date=February 18, 2022 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=January 10, 2002 |language=en}}</ref> 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 [[Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters|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 PBA season|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 (basketball, born 1967)|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 PBA season|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 [[Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player award|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 PBA season|1996]] and [[1997 PBA season|1997 season]]s before their fortunes changed in [[1998 PBA season|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 PBA season|1999]] and [[2000 PBA season|2000 season]]s but had a decent run in their final PBA season in [[2001 PBA season|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== {{Main|List of Pop Cola Panthers seasons}}

==Awards==

===Individual awards=== {| class=wikitable |- ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | PBA Most Valuable Player ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | Finals MVP ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | PBA Best Player of the Conference |- | valign="top" | * [[Vergel Meneses]] - 1995 | valign="top" |

| valign="top" | * [[Vergel Meneses]] - 1994 Governors', 1995 All-Filipino, 1995 Commissioner's |- ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | PBA Rookie of the Year Award ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | PBA All-Defensive Team ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | PBA Mythical First Team |- | valign="top" |

| valign="top" | * [[Elpidio Villamin]] - 1995 | valign="top" | * [[Nelson Asaytono]] - 1992–1993 * [[Al Solis]] - 1992–1993 * [[Vergel Meneses]] - 1994–1995 |- ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | PBA Mythical Second Team ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | PBA Most Improved Player ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | PBA Sportsmanship Award |- | valign="top" | * [[Elpidio Villamin]] - 1991 * [[Vergel Meneses]] - 1993 * [[Nelson Asaytono]] - 1994–1995 * Boybits Victoria - 1994–1995 * [[Bonel Balingit]] - 1995 * [[Rudy Hatfield]] - 2001 | valign="top" | * [[Vergel Meneses]] - 1993 * [[Bonel Balingit]] - 1995 | valign="top" | |- ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | PBA Best Import ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | |- | valign="top" | * [[Tony Harris (basketball, born 1967)|Tony Harris]] - 1992 Third * Ronnie Thompkins - 1993 Commissioner's * [[Ronnie Grandison]] - 1995 Commissioner's * [[Stevin Smith]] - 1995 Governors' | valign="top" |

| valign="top" | |} ===PBA Press Corps Individual Awards=== {| class=wikitable |- ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | Executive of the Year ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | Baby Dalupan Coach of the Year ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | Defensive Player of the Year |- | valign="top" | * [[Elmer Yanga]] - 1993–1995 | valign="top" | * [[Derrick Pumaren]] - 1995 | valign="top" | |- ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | Bogs Adornado Comeback Player of the Year ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | Mr. Quality Minutes ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | All-Rookie Team |- | valign="top" | * [[Elpidio Villamin]] - 1995 | valign="top" |

| valign="top" | |} ===All-Star Weekend=== {| class=wikitable |- ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | All Star MVP ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | Obstacle Challenge ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | Three-point Shootout ! style="{{PBA color cell|Pop Cola Panthers|border=2}}" | Slam Dunk Contest |- | valign="top" | * [[Vergel Meneses]] - 1995, 1998 * [[Kenneth Duremdes]] - 1996 | valign="top" | * Jack Santiago - 1996 | valign="top" | * [[Ric-Ric Marata]] - 1996 * Jasper Ocampo - 1998–1999 | valign="top" | * [[Vergel Meneses]] - 1993 |}

==Notable players==

===PBA's 25 greatest players=== * [[Ato Agustin]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hernandez |first1=John |title=Mobiline frees Agustin via P3.38-M pact buyout |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OlMbAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA16 |access-date=February 18, 2022 |publisher=Manila Standard |date=December 28, 1997 |language=en}}</ref> - "The Atomic Bomb" * [[Johnny Abarrientos]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Navarro |first1=June |title=Aces find new Johnny A in Mike Cortez |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HFg1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA64 |access-date=February 18, 2022 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=January 9, 2006 |language=en}}</ref> #14 - "The Flying A" * [[Kenneth Duremdes]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Pop Sends Duremdes, Tanuan To Alaska For Lago, Fernandez |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DaAVAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA12 |access-date=February 18, 2022 |publisher=Manila Standard |date=October 27, 1997 |language=en}}</ref> - "Captain Marbel" * [[Bernie Fabiosa]] #51 - "The Sultan of Swipe" played his final year in the league with the team in 1991. * [[Jojo Lastimosa]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reyes |first1=Marc Anthony |title=Alaska Milk In Mourain As Pop Snares Lastimosa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_Yc1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA28 |access-date=February 18, 2022 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=January 20, 2000}}</ref> - "Jolas" * [[Vergel Meneses]]<ref>{{cite news |title=We Deserve A Player Of Meneses Caliber Black |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S5QVAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA36 |access-date=February 18, 2022 |publisher=Manila Standard |date=June 16, 1999}}</ref> - "The Aerial Voyager"

===Other notable players=== {{colbegin|colwidth=18em}} *[[William Antonio]] *[[Nelson Asaytono]] *[[Bonel Balingit]] *[[Nic Belasco]] *[[Sonny Cabatu]] *Andy De Guzman *[[Rudy Distrito]] *[[Boyet Fernandez]] *[[Pido Jarencio]] *Dwight Lago *[[Joey Loyzaga]] *[[Ric-Ric Marata]] *[[Ali Peek]] *[[Zaldy Realubit]] *Elmer Reyes *Eric Reyes *[[Terry Saldaña]] *[[Al Solis]] *[[Jack Tanuan]] *Boybits Victoria *[[Elpidio Villamin]] {{colend}} *Jasper Ocampo

===Imports=== {{colbegin|colwidth=18em}} *[[Michael Anderson (basketball)|Michael Anderson]] *[[Dexter Boney]] *David Booth *[[Marques Bragg]] *[[Norris Coleman]] *[[Jevon Crudup]] *[[Jay Edwards (basketball)|Jay Edwards]] *[[Harold Ellis (basketball)|Harold Ellis]] *[[Rosell Ellis]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zarate |first1=Noel |title=00-46: The best PBA players who wore these jersey numbers |url=https://www.espn.ph/basketball/pba/story/_/id/29009982/who-was-best-pba-player-wear-jersey-number-00-46 |access-date=February 18, 2022 |work=ESPN.com |date=April 9, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> *[[Sherell Ford]] *[[Tremaine Fowlkes]] *[[Paul Graham (basketball player)|Paul Graham]] *[[Ronnie Grandison]] *[[Sean Green (basketball)|Sean Green]] *[[Tony Harris (basketball, born 1967)|Tony Harris]] *[[Shawn Harvey (basketball)|Shawn Harvey]] *[[David Henderson (basketball)|David Henderson]] *[[Sean Higgins (basketball)|Sean Higgins]] *[[Byron Houston]] *[[Alfredrick Hughes]] *Herb Jones *[[Marcus Liberty]] *[[Lewis Lloyd]] *Cedric McCullough *Lester Neal *[[Victor Page]] *Galen Robinson *Stan Rose *[[Kenny Sanders]] *[[Jason Sasser]] *[[Stevin Smith]] *[[Carl Thomas (basketball)|Carl Thomas]] *Ronnie Thompkins *[[Bernard Thompson]] *[[Marcus Timmons]] *[[Kelvin Upshaw]] *[[Jamie Watson (basketball)|Jamie Watson]] *Bryatt Vann {{colend}}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{succession box | before = (start) | after = [[Coca-Cola Tigers]] | title = [[List of defunct Philippine Basketball Association teams|PBA teams genealogies]] | years = 1990-2001 }} {{s-end}}

{{Pop Cola Panthers}} {{navboxes|title=Championship Navigation Boxes|titlestyle={{basketball primary style|Pop Cola Panthers}}|list= {{Swift Mighty Meaty Hotdogs 1992 PBA Third Conference Champions}} {{Swift Mighty Meaty Hotdogs 1993 PBA Commissioner's Cup Champions}} {{Sunkist Orange Juicers 1995 PBA All-Filipino Cup Champions}} {{Sunkist Orange Juicers 1995 PBA Commissioner's Cup Champions}} }} {{San Miguel Corporation}} {{PBAdefunct}}

[[Category:Pop Cola Panthers| ]] [[Category:Basketball teams established in 1990]] [[Category:Basketball teams disestablished in 2001]] [[Category:Defunct Philippine Basketball Association teams]] [[Category:San Miguel Corporation]] [[Category:1990 establishments in the Philippines]] [[Category:2001 disestablishments in the Philippines]]