1999 Pop Cola 800s season

1999   Pop Cola 800s season
Head coach	Norman Black
Owner(s)	RFM Corporation
All-Filipino Cup results
Record	7–10 (41.2%)
Place	6th seed
Playoff finish	QF (lost to Tanduay)
Commissioner's Cup results
Record	1–7 (12.5%)
Place	N/A
Playoff finish	N/A
Governor's Cup results
Record	0–8 (0%)
Place	N/A
Playoff finish	N/A
Pop Cola 800s seasons
←  1998 2000  →

The 1999 Pop Cola 800s season was the 10th season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Draft pick

Round	Pick	Player	Nationality	College
1	6	Ruel Buenaventura	Philippines	UE

Direct hire

Player	Nationality	College
Jon Ordonio	United States	The Master's University

Summary

The 800s were five wins and three losses after the first round of eliminations in the All-Filipino Cup. ^[1] Pop Cola lost four straight games at the start of the second round and finish with an overall 7-9 won-loss slate. Seeded at sixth in the quarterfinals and needed to win twice in order to advance in the semifinal playoffs, Pop Cola lost to Tanduay, 77-91.

Pop Cola's original choice for an import, Fil-American Joe Hooks was replaced and never got a chance to play in the Commissioner's Cup. ^[2] The 800s bring in Galen Robinson, who lasted three games and failed to give Pop Cola a victory and his replacement was Jevon Crudup. Winless in four starts with Vergel Meneses moving to Barangay Ginebra in a trade with Noli Locsin, Pop Cola finally scored their first win against Shell on July 18 in a low-scoring contest, 54-52. ^[3] Crudup also lasted three games and was sent home in favor of Tremaine Fowlkes in the 800s' last two assignments in the eliminations which they lost.

Coach Norman Black's woes continues in the Governors Cup as Pop Cola failed to win a single game in all their eight matches in the eliminations. The RFM ballclub had their worst season since their first year in 1990 as an expansion franchise.

Roster

Pop Cola 800s roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. G 1 Ordonio, Jon 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Master's C 2 Peek, Ali 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Saint Mary's F 5 Encarnacion, Brixter 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) San Sebastian F 6 Locsin, Noli 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) De La Salle G 7 Ocampo, Jasper 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) San Sebastian F 11 Asaytono, Nelson 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Manila C 16 Buenaventura, Ruel 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) UE F 22 Fernandez, Henry 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Visayas G 34 Antonio, William 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Chaminade C 35 Realubit, Zaldy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) USJ–R F Morelos, Marcelino 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) UE	Head coach Norman Black Assistant coach(es) Franz Pumaren Legend (C) Team captain Injured

Transactions

Trades

Off-season	To San Miguel Beermen Boybits Victoria	To Pop Cola 800s Cris Bolado
July 10, 1999	To Barangay Ginebra Kings Vergel Meneses	To Pop Cola 800s Noli Locsin [4]
August 1999	To San Miguel Beermen Nic Belasco, Cris Bolado, Dwight Lago	To Pop Cola 800s Nelson Asaytono, William Antonio
September 1999	To Purefoods TJ Hotdogs Boyet Fernandez	To Pop Cola 800s Henry Fernandez

Recruited imports

Tournament	Name	Number	Position	University/College
Commissioner's Cup	Galen Robinson	6	Center	University of Houston
	Jevon Crudup	8	Forward	University of Missouri
	Tremaine Fowlkes	8	Forward	CSU-Fresno
Governors' Cup	Shawn Harvey	31	Guard	West Virginia State
	Dexter Boney	24	Guard	UNLV

References

1. "Fil-Ams play second fiddle to Meneses". Manila Standard.
2. "Ginebra battles Pop Cola today". Manila Standard.
3. "The night Pop Cola snapped out of it". Manila Standard.
4. "Meneses to Ginebra, Locsin to Pop". Manila Standard.