1997 Pop Cola Sizzlers season

The 1997 Pop Cola Sizzlers season was the eighth season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Known as the Pop Cola Bottlers in the All-Filipino and Commissioner's Cup.

1997 Pop Cola Sizzlers season
Head coachDerrick Pumaren
(All-Filipino Cup)
Arturo Valenzona
(Commissioner's Cup)
Norman Black
(Governors' Cup)
General ManagerElmer Yanga
Owner(s)RFM Corporation
All-Filipino Cup results
Record5–9
(35.7%)
Place7th
Playoff finishN/A
Commissioner's Cup results
Record4–6
(40%)
Place7th
Playoff finishN/A
Governor's Cup results
Record5–9
(35.7%)
Place7th
Playoff finishN/A
Pop Cola Sizzlers seasons
← 1996
1998 →

Draft picks

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Round Pick Player College
1 2 Nic Belasco Notre Dame-Maryland
2 10 Romulo Marata Adamson

Notable dates

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February 22: Pop Cola stuns defending champion Alaska Milkmen, 96–88 in Lipa City, Batangas, for their first win in two starts.

September 20: Vergel Meneses tallied a game-high 36 points, and import Byron Houston added 29 points with 19 rebounds as Pop Cola gave their new coach Norman Black his first win at the start of the Governor's Cup with a 108–92 victory over Purefoods in the out-of-town game in Tarlac State University Gym.[1]

Occurrences

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Starting the Commissioners Cup, coach Derrick Pumaren was replaced by Arturo Valenzona, whose last coaching job in the PBA was nine years ago. Valenzona chooses Alfrancis Chua as his assistant coach while Pumaren remain as a team consultant.

After Pop Cola's failure to reach the semifinals for the fifth straight time, a player-coach trade took place between the two teams that didn't make past the eliminations in the Commissioner's Cup, the Bottlers acquired Norman Black from Mobiline as their head coach along with Elpidio Villamin and Peter Martin in exchange for guard Ato Agustin and their former coach Derrick Pumaren, who has now moved over to the Mobiline camp. Upon Norman Black's entry at Pop Cola, Alfrancis Chua was retain as assistant coach while Arturo Valenzona was relegated to team consultant.[2]

Roster

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1997 Pop Cola Sizzlers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. # POB Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From
G 3   Quilban, Eugene 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) San Sebastian
C 4   Balingit, Bonel 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) Visayas
G 9   Victoria, Boybits 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) San Beda
G 10   Fernandez, Boyet 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) San Agustin
F 11   Morelos, Marcelino 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) UE
G 12   Marata, Romulo 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Adamson
F 13   Villamin, Elpidio 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
F 15   Lago, Dwight 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) De La Salle
F 18   Meneses, Vergel 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) José Rizal
F 21   Martin, Peter 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) San Sebastian
G 23   Marata, Ricardo 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Southwestern-U
C 33   Belasco, Nic 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Notre Dame (OH)
C 35   Realubit, Zaldy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) USJ–R
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  •   Injured

Transactions

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Additions

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Name Deal Information Former team
Eugene Quilban Acquired Mobiline late last year in a trade with Eric Reyes Mobiline
Jack Tanuan Acquired from Mobiline late last year in a trade with Alvin Teng

Trades

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July 1997 To Mobiline
#6 Ato Agustin
To Pop Cola
Elpidio Villamin, Peter Martin
October 27, 1997 [3] To Alaska
#19 Kenneth Duremdes, #14 Jack Tanuan
To Pop Cola
Boyet Fernandez, Dwight Lago

Recruited imports

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Tournament Name Number Position University/College Duration
Commissioner's Cup Norris Coleman 8 Forward Kansas State June 13 to July 18
Governors' Cup Byron Houston 8 Guard Oklahoma State September 20 to November 16

References

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  1. ^ "Pop Cola blasts Purefoods". Manila Standard.
  2. ^ "Manotoc named Mobiline head coach". Manila Standard.
  3. ^ "Duremdes debuts for Alaska against Sta.Lucia today". Manila Standard.