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| Pop Cola Panthers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| 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 1992Third Conference | ||
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ThePop Cola Panthers were a professional basketball team that played in thePhilippine Basketball Association from1990-2001. The franchise was owned byRFM Corporation. In 2001, whenRFM Corporation sold its entire stake in Cosmos Bottling Corporation toCoca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI), the PBA franchise was included in the transaction. Upon ownership by CCBPI, the PBA franchise renamed theCoca-Cola Tigers beginning the2002 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.
Pop Cola was one of two expansion franchises to enter the league in the 1990 season, joining softdrink rivalPepsi-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 in1992, when Swift defeated 7-Up four games-to-none to win the PBA Third Conference under head coachYeng Guiao.
The franchise also fielded one of the dominant imports in PBA history inTony Harris, who scored a PBA record 105 points for Swift when they defeated Ginebra 151–147 in a game held inIloilo 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.
The1995 season became a banner year for the team. Under the nameSunkist 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 byseason MVPVergel 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 the1996 and1997 seasons before their fortunes changed in1998 when the team won a few third-place finishes under head coachNorman 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 in1999 and2000 seasons but had a decent run in their final PBA season in2001 under head coachChot Reyes, copping third place honors in the All-Filipino Conference.
The franchise ended when RFM Corporation sold its PBA franchise toCoca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI), in connection to its sale of Cosmos Bottling Corporation to CCBPI in 2001.
| PBA Most Valuable Player | Finals MVP | PBA Best Player of the Conference |
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| PBA Rookie of the Year Award | PBA All-Defensive Team | PBA Mythical First Team |
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| PBA Mythical Second Team | PBA Most Improved Player | PBA Sportsmanship Award |
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| PBA Best Import | ||
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| Executive of the Year | Baby Dalupan Coach of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year |
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| Bogs Adornado Comeback Player of the Year | Mr. Quality Minutes | All-Rookie Team |
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| All Star MVP | Obstacle Challenge | Three-point Shootout | Slam Dunk Contest |
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| Preceded by (start) | PBA teams genealogies 1990-2001 | Succeeded by |
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