Great Taste Coffee Makers

Great Taste Coffee Makers
History
Presto Ice Cream (1975, 1977, 1988-1989, 1992)
N-Rich Coffee Creamers (1976, 1982)
Presto Fun Drinks (1980-1981)
Great Taste Discoverers (1978-1980, 1983)
Great Taste Coffee Makers (1982, 1983-1987)
Great Taste Instant Milk (1987-1988)
Presto Tivolis (1989-1991)
Tivoli Milk Masters (1991)
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
1990 All-Filipino

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 Consolidated Foods 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 1993, CFC sold its PBA franchise to Sta. Lucia Realty & Development, Inc.

History

Early years (1975-1978)

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. Having started in the MICAA under coach Narciso Bernardo in 1973, notable players who donned the Presto/Great Taste jersey in the 70s included the Aldanese brothers Noli and Jing (who replaced Fely Fajardo as coach in the second conference of 1976), Manny Paner, Florendo Ritualo (the father of Ren-Ren), Danny Pribhdas (the father of Danilo, Jr of the UST Growling Tigers), and Johnny Revilla. Coaches included Tony Genato (Quinito Henson's father in law), Chino Marquinez (who also acted as team manager) and Nilo Verona.

Breakthrough (1979-1982)

In the second conference of 1979, the ballclub finally cracked into the final four behind imports Jim Hearns and Darryl Smith, the following year with the acquisition of Jun Papa and Estoy Estrada, the team made it anew in the semifinals of the Open Conference. In the mid-season of 1981, they signed center-forwards Manny Victorino and Joel Banal, that same year, the team had their first player to win an award in Rafael "Cho' Sison, voted the 1981 Rookie of the Year. The final conference of both 1981 and 1982 season had the ballclub figured in a playoff for a finals berth but fell short each time.

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 from the disbanded U-Tex Wranglers, and with Manny Victorino (then considered one of 3 elite centers in the league, alongside Ramon Fernandez and Abet Guidaben), Joel Banal, Alejo Alolor, Joy Carpio, and import Norman Black. Great Taste finally enter into the championship picture, losing to the Billy Ray Bates-led Crispa in the second conference finals. The real sweetener happen in the third conference with 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 Great Taste was already secured of a slot in the next round.

Now a powerful and potent squad, Great Taste became the toast of the PBA in the following year, acquiring players such as Arnie Tuadles, Frankie Lim and Chito Loyzaga and in 1985, signing Abe King and Willie Pearson. The Coffeemakers dominated the mid-1980s, winning four straight championships between 1984 and 1985, with a strong local lineup and a more potent imports in the likes of Joe Binion and Jeff Collins.

The Allan Caidic era (1987-1992)

After a crownless season in 1986, the team decided to trade two of its key players; Manny Victorino and Jimmy Manansala to Shell for Philip Cezar and Bernie Fabiosa, with Atoy Co joining the team following the disbandment of the Manila Beer franchise, the 3 former Crispa players had a reunion of sorts with Great Taste along with their coach Baby Dalupan.

Add to this the blue chip rookie in the draft in the name of Allan Caidic and they became the team to beat. Great Taste regains the All-Filipino crown that year and won their fifth championship. The following season, their franchise player Ricardo Brown left the team and signed with San Miguel Beer.

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 Bong Hawkins in 1991 and Vergel Meneses in 1992 until the team 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.

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

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