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

Philippine Basketball Association The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of twelve company-branded franchised teams. Founded in 1975, it is the first professional basketball league in Asia and is the se ...

from

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...

2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...

. The franchise was owned by

RFM Corporation RFM Corporation () is a publicly listed food and beverage company in the Philippines. RFM is a manufacturer of flour and flour-based products, milk, juice drinks and ice cream. As of June 2013, RFM had an asset base of P12 billion and a to ...

. In 2001, when

sold its entire stake in Cosmos Bottling Corporation to

Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI, formerly Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines, Inc.) is a Philippine-based company engaged in the bottling and distribution of Coca-Cola products in the country. CCBPI is part of the Bottling Investment Gro ...

(CCBPI), the PBA franchise was included in the transaction. Upon ownership by CCBPI, the PBA franchise renamed the

Coca-Cola Tigers Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlant ...

beginning the 2002 PBA season 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 Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961. History Pepsi was ...

, 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 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...

, when Swift defeated 7-Up four games-to-none to win the PBA Third Conference under head coach

Yeng Guiao Joseller "Yeng" Medina Guiao (born March 19, 1959) is a Filipino professional basketball head coach, politician, commentator and sports commissioner. He is currently the head coach of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters of the Philippine Basketba ...

. 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 Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo ( hil, Siyudad/Dakbanwa sang Iloilo; fil, Lungsod ng Iloilo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines on the island of Panay. It is the capital city of t ...

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 Vergel Corpuz Meneses (born January 14, 1969) is a Filipino retired professional basketball player and a politician, serving as mayor of the municipality of Bulakan, Bulacan. He previously played in the Philippine Basketball Association and ser ...

Bonel Balingit Bonel P. Balingit (born November 30, 1967), also known as The Gentle Giant and Man-Mountain, is a Filipino retired professional basketball player who played as a center. Basketball career The hulking Bonel played for the University of the Visaya ...

, Boybits Victoria,

Kenneth Duremdes Kenneth Celera Duremdes (born January 31, 1974) is a Filipino retired professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association and the current commissioner of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). Nicknamed as "Captain ...

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 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...

and 1997 seasons before their fortunes changed in

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...

when the team won a few third-place finishes under head coach

Norman Black Norman Augustus Black (born November 12, 1957) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the CBA, NBA, and PBA. He's the current head coach for the Meralco Bolts. He has since settled in the Philippines. He is also ...

, 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 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...

and 2000 seasons but had a decent run in their final PBA season in

under head coach

Chot Reyes Vincent "Chot" P. Reyes (born August 1, 1963) is a Filipino basketball head coach for the TNT Tropang Giga for the Philippine Basketball Association. He is also the head coach of the Philippine national basketball team, where he led the team to a ...

, copping third place honors in the All-Filipino Conference. The franchise ended when RFM Corporation sold its PBA franchise to

(CCBPI), in connection to its sale of Cosmos Bottling Corporation to CCBPI in 2001.

Season-by-season records

Awards

Individual awards

PBA Press Corps Individual Awards

All-Star Weekend

Notable players

PBA's 25 greatest players

Ato Agustin Renato Guilas Agustin (born August 1, 1963) is a Filipino former professional basketball player, politician, and current assistant coach for the San Miguel Beermen. He played college basketball for the Lyceum of the Philippines before moving on ...

- "The Atomic Bomb" *

Johnny Abarrientos Johnny Abarrientos (born July 17, 1970) is a Filipino retired professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association. He was also a many-time member of the Philippine National team, and was the 1996 PBA Most Valuable Player, bec ...

#14 - "The Flying A" *

- "Captain Marbel" *

Bernie Fabiosa Bernie Fabiosa (born July 23, 1954) is a retired Filipino professional basketball player and actor. He spent most of his playing days with the Crispa Redmanizers in the PBA. During his heyday, he is tops in career steals, earning for himself th ...

#51 - "The Sultan of Swipe" played his final year in the league with the team in 1991. *

Jojo Lastimosa Isabelo "Jojo" Lastimosa Jr. (born March 10, 1964) is a Filipino former professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Purefoods Hotdogs, the Alaska Aces and the Pop Cola Panthers from 1988 to 2002. He was als ...

- "Jolas" *

- "The Aerial Voyager"

Other notable players

William Antonio William J. Heath Antonio (born August 15, 1975) is a Filipino-American former professional basketball player. He last played for the GlobalPort Batang Pier in the Philippine Basketball Association. A good three-point shooter, he was drafted 5th ...

Nelson Asaytono Nelson Asaytono (born January 25, 1967) is a Filipino retired professional basketball player who played for Purefoods, Swift/Sunkist/Pop Cola, San Miguel Beer, and Red Bull in the PBA during his 17-year career. Collegiate / Amateur career As ...

Nic Belasco Nicholas M. Bayaca Belasco (born December 10, 1973) is a Filipino-American professional basketball player who last played for the Pasig Sta. Lucia Realtors of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). He was drafted 2nd overall by Sunkis ...

Sonny Cabatu Sonny is a common nickname and occasional given name. Often it can be a derivative of the English word "Son", a name derived from the Ancient Germanic element *sunn meaning "sun", a nickname derived from the Italian name Salvatore (especially in N ...

*Andy De Guzman * Rudy Distrito *

Boyet Fernandez Teodorico "Boyet" Fernandez III is a Filipino former professional basketball player and the former head coach of the San Beda Red Lions in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (Philippines) (NCAA). Playing career Fernandez first broke i ...

* Pido Jarencio *Dwight Lago *

Joey Loyzaga Ernesto Jose Francisco "Joey" Cuerva Loyzaga (born September 23, 1961) is a Filipino people, Filipino retired professional basketball player. Collegiate / Amateur career Loyzaga broke into the hoops limelight as a Red Cub for San Beda Red Lion ...

Ric-Ric Marata Ricardo "Ric-Ric" Marata (December 21, 1964 – April 17, 2010) was a Filipino former professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association. Basketball career Ric-ric played three years for Southwestern University under coach Bo ...

Ali Peek Albert Henry "Ali" Peek (born February 13, 1975) is a Filipino-American retired professional basketball player who played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). During his playing days, he played mostly at the center position, although he ...

Zaldy Realubit Zaldy Realubit (born February 18, 1967) is a Filipino retired professional basketball player who is now the Chief Operating Officer of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. He was also the head coach of the Pilipinas Aguilas. College and ...

*Elmer Reyes *Eric Reyes *

Terry Saldaña Antero Saldaña (November 17, 1958 – February 1, 2023) was a Filipino professional basketball player who played his entire career in the Philippine Basketball Association. Player profile Coming straight from the MICAA, Saldaña was signed t ...

Al Solis Alfonso Solis (born December 23, 1962), better known as Al Solis, is a Filipino retired professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association. Amateur career Solis started in 1977 with the University of the Visayas Baby Lancers ...

Jack Tanuan Edgardo "Jack" Tanuan (July 23, 1965 – April 4, 2002) was a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association. College / Amateur career Tanuan played college basketball at Far Eastern University in the UAAP. In t ...

*Boybits Victoria *

Elpidio Villamin Elpidio "Yoyoy" Villamin (born November 7, 1958 in Labo, Camarines Norte, Philippines), is a retired Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association. Standing 6'3" on a muscular frame, Villamin earned the monike ...

Imports

* Michael Anderson *

Dexter Boney Dexter Lyndell Boney (born April 27, 1970) is an American former college and professional basketball player. Biography He was born on April 27, 1970. Boney played for Brandywine High School, where he was named all-state three times and holds th ...

*David Booth *

Marques Bragg Marques Bragg (born March 24, 1970) is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bragg was a Providence Friar in college, and co-led the Big East Conference in Field goal percentag ...

Norris Coleman Norris James Coleman (born September 27, 1961) is an American retired professional basketball player who was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round (38th pick overall) of the 1987 NBA draft. A 6'8" forward from Kansas State Uni ...

Jevon Crudup Jevon Crudup (born April 27, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. After playing college basketball at the University of Missouri, Crudup was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the 1994 NBA draft. During his senior ...

* Jay Edwards * Harold Ellis *

Rosell Ellis Rosell Ellis (born February 19, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. High school & College From 1993–1995, he played college basketball at the College of Eastern Utah. In 1995, he then moved to McNeese State of the NCAA ...

Sherell Ford Sherell Ford (born August 26, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player. A 6'7" forward from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Ford was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the first round (26th overall) of the 1995 NBA ...

* Tremaine Fowlkes * Paul Graham *

Ronnie Grandison Ron Calvin Grandison (born July 6, 1964) is a former basketball player, who attended the University of California, Irvine and the University of New Orleans. He was selected in the fifth round of the 1987 NBA draft, 100th pick overall, by the Den ...

* Sean Green * Tony Harris * Shawn Harvey * David Henderson * Sean Higgins *

Byron Houston Byron Dwight Houston (born November 22, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player. A 6'5", 250-pound power forward, he played collegiately for Oklahoma State University and was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the first round (27t ...

Alfredrick Hughes Alfredrick Hughes (born July 19, 1962) is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round (14th pick overall) in the 1985 NBA draft. Loyola career After graduating from Chicago's Rob ...

*Herb Jones *

Marcus Liberty Marcus Liberty (born October 27, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player. He played four seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Liberty played college basketball for the University of Illinois. High school After ...

* Lewis Lloyd *Cedric McCullough *Lester Neal *

Victor Page Victor Martin Page (born February 19, 1975) is an American former basketball player who once played for the Georgetown University Hoyas and Sioux Falls Skyforce. He holds the freshman scoring record of 34 points in a game, breaking Allen Iverson' ...

*Galen Robinson *Stan Rose * Kenny Sanders *

Jason Sasser Jason Jermane Sasser (born January 3, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player. He was a 6'7" (201 cm) 225 lb (102 kg) small forward who graduated Justin F. Kimball High School in Dallas, Texas, and played collegia ...

Stevin Smith Stevin L. "Hedake" Smith (born January 24, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player, who is also known for his involvement in the 1994 Arizona State point-shaving scandal. Early life Smith was born in Dallas, Texas, the only ...

* Carl Thomas *Ronnie Thompkins * Bernard Thompson *

Marcus Timmons Marcus Timmons (born November 3, 1971) is an American-Australian former professional basketball player. He played for the Wollongong Hawks, Melbourne Tigers, Perth Wildcats, Cairns Taipans, New Zealand Breakers and Adelaide 36ers. Timmons won Lis ...

Kelvin Upshaw Kelvin Parnell Upshaw (born January 24, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player. He is a 6'2" (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) guard and played competitively at Chicago's Marshall High School, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Colleg ...

* Jamie Watson *Bryatt Vann

References

{{PBAdefunct Basketball teams established in 1990 Basketball teams disestablished in 2001 Defunct Philippine Basketball Association teams San Miguel Corporation 1990 establishments in the Philippines 2001 disestablishments in the Philippines