Great Taste Coffee Makers

Great Taste Coffee Makers
History
Presto Ice Cream Makers (1975-1976, 1977-1978, 1988-1989)
N-Rich Coffee Creamers (1976-1977, 1982)
Presto Fun Drinks (1980-1982)
Great Taste Discoverers (1978-1980, 1982-1983)
Great Taste Coffee Makers (1983-1987)
Great Taste Instant Milk (1987-1988)
Presto Tivolis (1989-1991)
Tivoli Milk Masters (1991-1992)
Presto Ice Cream Kings (1992)
Joined PBA 1975
Team colors Great Taste Coffee
                   
                        
Great Taste Milk
              
Presto Fun Drinks
         
Presto Ice Cream
         
Presto Tivoli
                   
                   
Company CFC Corporation (now merged with Universal Robina Corporation)
Owner(s) John Gokongwei
Board governor Ignacio Gotao †
Head coach Tony Genato
Nilo Verona ✝
Alfonso Marquez
Baby Dalupan
Jimmy Mariano
Tommy Manotoc
Disbanded 1992
Championships

6 championships

1984 Second All-Filipino
1984 Invitational
1985 Open
1985 All-Filipino
1987 All-Filipino
1987 PBA-IBA*
1990 All-Filipino
(*) special championship

10 Finals Appearances

The Great Taste Coffee Makers were a basketball team that played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) from 1975 to 1992. It was one of the founding members of the PBA, the Asia's first and oldest professional league. The franchise was owned by CFC Corporation (now merged with Universal Robina Corporation) and named after its brand of instant coffee, Great Taste Coffee. The franchise also played under other CFC brands such as N-Rich, Presto and Tivoli.

The franchise won six PBA championships, mostly under coach Baby Dalupan.

In 1992, CFC Corporation sold its PBA franchise to Sta. Lucia Realty & Development, Inc.

History

Early years (1975-1983)

While Great Taste was known to be a blockbuster and powerhouse team to those who got to watch the game in the early 1980s, this team was also one of the ragtag and also-ran teams of the 1970s. Not exactly blessed with the biggest names among the present set of players then, they did become competitive owing more on the sheer hearts of their players rather than talents. Notable players who donned the Presto/Great Taste jersey in the 70s included the Guzman brothers Noel and Joel, Manny Paner, Florendo Ritualo (the father of Ren-Ren), Danny Pribhdas (the father of Danilo, Jr of the UST Growling Tigers), and during the early 80s, Estoy Estrada, Jun Papa, Johnny Revilla, among others. Imports who shared the limelight with the Presto locals in their early years included Dana Lewis, Niño Samuel, Jim Hearns, Daryl Smith, Jim Collins, Cisco Oliver (returned in 1978) and Lew Brown. Coaches included Tony Genato (Quinito Henson's father in law), Chino Marquinez (who also acted as team manager) and Nilo Verona.

The Ricardo Brown era (1983-1987)

The real big turnaround started when they were able to secure the services of then Filipino-American rookie Ricardo Brown. It is said that Brown was practically stolen by Great Taste team manager Ignacio Gotao from Crispa owner Danny Floro, who has already formalized a commitment from the "Quick Brown Fox" to play for the Redmanizers. But as fate would have it, Brown was secured for the Coffeemakers, along with Bogs Adornado who was pried away from the U-Tex Wranglers, Manny Victorino (then considered one of 3 elite centers in the league, alongside Ramon Fernandez and Abet Guidaben), Joel Banal, Jimmy Manansala, Joy Carpio, Rafael "Cho' Sison (the 1981 Rookie of the Year), and import Norman Black. Of course, the real sweetener was the entry of Coach Baby Dalupan for the team - first as team consultant behind his godson Jimmy Mariano, only to secure the top coaching job when Mariano was "fired" for his ill-advised statement "we didn't intend to win.” This was said after a shocking loss to lowly Galerie Dominique since Presto was already secured of a slot in the next round.

Now a powerful and potent squad, Great Taste became the toast of the PBA, dominating the mid-1980s, winning four straight championships between 1984 and 1985, with a strong local lineup coupled by even more potent imports in the likes of Joe Binion and Jeff Collins. In 1987, the team even became stronger when the likes of Philip Cezar, Atoy Co, Arnie Tuadles and Bernie Fabiosa joined the Coffee Makers.

The Allan Caidic era (1987-1992)

Add to this the blue chip rookie in the draft in the name of Allan Caidic and this became the team to beat. They were deemed as the second arrival of the disbanded Redmanizers at that time, with such a talent-laden squad to consider, plus a championship coach to boast of. Presto won its final championship in 1990 featuring the superstar veteran Allan Caidic (named Most Valuable Player of the Year) and rookies Gerald Esplana (named Rookie of the Year) and Apet Jao (the top draft pick). More blue chip players came their way including Vergel Meneses in 1992 and Bong Hawkins until they eventually disbanded at the end of the 1992 season with Sta. Lucia buying the franchise rights including its rights for the first pick of the 1993 draft. It was Jun Limpot who eventually ended up to be the top pick of the said year.

Season-by-season records

Legend
     Champion

     Runner-up

     Semifinalist

Season Conference Team name Overall record Finals
W L %
1975 First Conference Presto Ice Cream Makers 6 18 .250
Second Conference
All-Philippine Championship
1976 First Conference N-Rich 3 29 .094
Second Conference
All-Philippine Championship
1977 All-Filipino Conference Presto Ice Cream Makers 15 30 .333
Open Conference
Invitational Conference
1978 All-Filipino Conference Great Taste Coffee Makers 5 23 .179
Open Conference
Invitational Conference
1979 All-Filipino Conference 21 26 .447
Open Conference
Invitational Conference
1980 Open Conference 14 25 .359
Invitational Conference
All-Filipino Conference
1981 Open Conference Presto Ice Cream Makers 17 26 .395
Invitational Conference
1982 Reinforced Filipino Cup Great Taste Coffee Makers 19 27 .413
Invitational Conference
Open Conference N-Rich
1983 All-Filipino Conference Great Taste Coffee Makers 38 25 .603
Reinforced Filipino Cup Crispa 3, Great Taste 2
Open Conference Crispa 3, Great Taste 0
1984 First All-Filipino Conference 39 14 .736
Second All-Filipino Conference Great Taste 3, Beer Hausen 0
Invitational Championship Great Taste 3, Crispa 2
1985 Open Conference 44 27 .620 Great Taste 4, Magnolia 2
All-Filipino Conference Great Taste 3, Shell 1
Reinforced Conference
1986 Open Conference 36 28 .563
All-Filipino Conference
Reinforced Conference Tanduay 4, Great Taste 2
1987 Open Conference 35 25 .583 Tanduay 4, Great Taste 1
All-Filipino Conference Great Taste 3, Hills Bros. 0
Reinforced Conference
1988 Open Conference 26 34 .433
All-Filipino Conference Presto Ice Cream Makers
Third Conference
1989 First Conference 18 32 .360
All-Filipino Conference
Third Conference
1990 First Conference 40 29 .580
All-Filipino Conference Presto Tivolis Presto 4, Purefoods 3
Third Conference
1991 First Conference Presto Tivoli 21 29 .420
All-Filipino Conference
Third Conference
1992 First Conference Presto Ice Cream Kings 11 29 .275
All-Filipino Conference
Third Conference
Overall record 408 476 .462 6 championships

Team roster

PBA Greatest players

In alphabetical order. Members of PBA Hall of Fame are in boldface.

Other notable players

  • Jose "Jing" Aldanese
  • Manuel "Noli" Aldanese
  • Teddy Alfarero #20
  • Pongkee Alolor #2
  • Cesar Arpilleda
  • Woodrow Balani
  • Joel Banal #7
  • Danny Basilan #14
  • Sonny Cabatu #5
  • Bernardo "Joy" Carpio #29
  • Israel Catacutan
  • Jacinto Chua
  • Valerio Delos Santos
  • Bai Cristobal #7
  • Carlito Cruz
  • Ramon "Onchie" Dela Cruz #9
  • Nani Demegillo #15
  • Gerry Esplana #14 - 1990 PBA Rookie of the Year
  • Ernesto "Estoy" Estrada #6
  • Rey Franco
  • Willie Generalao #42 - "The General"
  • Noel Guzman
  • Joel Guzman
  • Bong Hawkins #16 - "The Hawk"
  • Arthur Herrera
  • Padim Israel #17
  • Apet Jao #5 - #1 draft pick of 1990 PBA Draft
  • Alfredo "Pido" Jarencio #25
  • Woodrow Jaymalin
  • Abe King #6 - "The Chairman of the Board"
  • Frankie Lim #22
  • Joaquin "Chito" Loyzaga #41 - "The Dynamite"
  • Jimmy Manansala #11
  • Joey Marquez #66
  • Totoy Marquez #71
  • Eddieboy Mendoza #10
  • Jose Cadel Mosqueda #12
  • Ruben Pablo
  • Adriano "Jun" Papa, Jr. ✝
  • Willie Pearson #39
  • Danny Pribhdas (father of Danilo, Jr. of the UST Growling Tigers)
  • Zaldy Realubit #28
  • Johnny Revilla #16
  • Florendo Ritualo
  • Ranulfo Robles
  • Rafael "Cho' Sison #12
  • Loreto Tolentino
  • Tomasito Tolentino
  • Oscar Tuazon
  • Arnie Tuadles ✝ #11 / #22
  • Redentor Vicente, Sr. #45
  • Manny Victorino #1

Imports

Coaches

Team managers

External links

Preceded by
(start)		 PBA teams genealogies
1975-1992 		Succeeded by
Sta. Lucia Realtors
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