1998 Pop Cola 800s season

The 1998 Pop Cola 800s season was the 9th season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Draft picks

Summary

After two years and six conference of non-semifinal appearances, the Pop Cola 800s finally advance in the semifinal round of the All-Filipino Cup,^[1] with coach Norman Black's first full season with the RFM ballclub, which signed four rookies during the off-season. The 800s placed third overall, winning their one-game battle with Sta.Lucia for third place.

NBA journeyman Sean Higgins was Pop Cola's import in the Commissioner's Cup,^[2] Higgins lasted eight games and was replaced by Marcus Liberty, who led the 800s to three straight wins and an outright semifinals berth. After the eliminations, Liberty went back to the States to settle a family problem, Sherell Ford, a legitimate NBA first round pick, plane in for the best-of-five semifinal series against the San Miguel Beermen and scored 42 points in Pop Cola's 97-106 loss in the opening series. In Game two which the Beermen easily won, coach Norman Black decided for the team to replace Ford, assistant coach Alfrancis Chua brought in Marcus Timmons, who played for him at Tanduay in the PBL, Timmons' efforts were not enough to hold back the Beermen in the 800s' 79-92 loss in Game three, after Timmons left for Australia, coach Norman Black was forced to play in their game against Formula Shell for third place, Black makes history by becoming the oldest import to play in the league at age 41, leading his team to an 84-80 win over Shell.

Pop Cola had a pair of Victor Page and Paul Graham as their import for the Centennial Cup, after three games, Page was replaced by the comebacking Tony Harris, the Hurricane led the 800s to four wins in eight games he played before a fracture in his right hand cut short his stint and was replaced by David Booth during the Governor's Cup. Pop Cola lost their last game to Purefoods, 95-104 in overtime on November 3, the 800s missed out a semifinals berth, finishing with an 8-win, 7-loss slate.

Roster

Pos. No. Player School F 00 Vergel Meneses Jose Rizal College C 2 Ali Peek Saint Mary's College C 4 Bonel Balingit University of Visayas F 5 Brixter Encarnacion San Sebastian G 6 Jessie Cabanayan University of Baguio G 7 Jasper Ocampo San Sebastian G 9 Emmanuel Victoria San Beda G 10 Boyet Fernandez University of San Agustin F 11 Marcelino Morelos UE F 15 Dwight Lago De La Salle F 33 Nicholas Belasco Notre Dame College C 35 Zaldy Realubit San Jose Recoletos F 3 Sean Higgins (C) University of Michigan F 32 Marcus Liberty (C) University of Illinois F Sherell Ford (C) University of Illinois F Marcus Timmons (C) Southern Illinois University F 24 Norman Black (C) Saint Joseph's University G Victor Page (G) Georgetown University G 8 Paul Graham (G) University of Ohio G 22 Tony Harris (G) University of New Orleans G David Booth (G) DePaul University Position Name/s Head coach:  Norman Black Assistants: Alfrancis Chua (C) - Commissioners Cup Import, (G) - Governors Cup Import '

_{Team Manager: Elmer Yanga}

References