1996 Sunkist Orange Bottlers season

1996   Sunkist Orange Bottlers season
Head coach	Derrick Pumaren
General Manager	Elmer Yanga
Owner(s)	RFM Corporation
All Filipino Cup results
Record	4–10 (28.6%)
Place	7th
Playoff finish	N/A
Commissioner's Cup results
Record	5–6 (45.5%)
Place	6th
Playoff finish	N/A
Governor's Cup results
Record	6–7 (46.2%)
Place	5th
Playoff finish	Quarterfinals
Sunkist Orange Bottlers seasons
←  1995 1997  →

The 1996 Sunkist Orange Bottlers season was the seventh season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Draft pick

Round	Pick	Player	College
1	8	Joselito Rodriguez	UNO-R

Occurrences

Tony Harris came back as their import in the Governor's Cup, but the Hurricane could only play three games after Sunkist lost two straight matches to Shell and Purefoods. The coaching staff decided to replace Harris with a new import Lester Neal.

Notable dates

March 12: Vergel Meneses unloaded 14 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and led a breakaway by Sunkist in the last eight minutes as the defending All-Filipino Cup champions pulled off a 93-84 victory over San Miguel Beermen and evened up their won-loss record to three wins and three losses. ^[1]

June 21: Marques Bragg banged in a three-point play off Ronnie Thompkins with 14.5 seconds left to snap the final tie and Sunkist recovered from an early 16-point deficit to scuttle Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs, 97-93. It was the Orange Bottlers first win in three games in the Commissioners Cup. ^[2]

September 29: Alvin Teng put back a miss by Tony Harris with 4.7 seconds left to lift Sunkist to a thrilling 93-91 victory over defending champion Alaska Milkmen at the start of the Governors Cup. ^[3]

Roster

Sunkist Orange Bottlers roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. C 1 Victorino, Manny 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) José Rizal G Tanquingcen, Siot 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) UST C 4 Balingit, Bonel 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) Visayas G 5 Santiago, Jack 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Mapúa F 6 & 19 Duremdes, Kenneth 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Adamson G 9 Victoria, Boybits 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) San Beda F/C 10 Teng, Alvin 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Arellano G 11 & 6 Agustin, Ato 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Lyceum G 14 Distrito, Rudy 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) UE F 18 Meneses, Vergel 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) José Rizal G 23 Marata, Ricardo 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Southwestern-U F 24 Reyes, Eric 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Ateneo C 35 Realubit, Zaldy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) USJ–R C 43 Paguinto, Alejandro 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Far Eastern F 64 Morelos, Marcelino 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) UE	Head coach Derrick Pumaren Assistant coach(es) Gabby Velasco Turo Valenzona Hector Calma Team manager Elmer Yanga Legend (C) Team captain Injured

Transactions

Additions

Name	Deal Information	Former team
Gerardo Santiago	Rookie free agent	N/A
Siot Tanquingcen	Rookie free agent	N/A
Manny Victorino	Signed to a short-term contract late in the season to fill the spot of the injured Bonel Balingit	Purefoods (1994)

Trades

Off-season	To Pepsi Yoyoy Villamin	To Sunkist Alvin Teng
April 1, 1996 [4]	To San Miguel Beermen #25 Nelson Asaytono	To Sunkist Ato Agustin, Mar Morelos

Recruited imports

Tournament	Name	Number	Position	University/College	Duration
Commissioner's Cup	Marques Bragg	33	Center-Forward	Providence College	June 14 to July 30
Governors' Cup	Tony Harris	22	Guard-Forward	University of New Orleans	September 29 to October 6
	Lester Neal	44	Forward	Arizona State	October 11 to November 24

References

1. "Meneses stars as Sunkist blasts San Miguel". Manila Standard.
2. "Bragg stars as Sunkist squeakes past Purefoods". Manila Standard.
3. "Sunkist, SMB take Governor's Cup openers". Manila Standard.
4. "Asaytono now a Beerman". Manila Standard.