1998 Sta. Lucia Realtors season

The 1998 Sta.Lucia Realtors season was the sixth season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Off-season transactions

Summary

Under new coach Derrick Pumaren, the Sta.Lucia Realtors won their first four games of the season. In their first game on February 3, Jun Limpot scored 34 points to lead the Realtors to a rousing 85-69 win over Formula Shell,^[1] the Realtors scored their fourth win against Pop Cola, 83-72 on February 15,^[2] before losing to Alaska in a battle of unbeaten teams early in the All-Filipino Cup. Sta.Lucia had a five-game losing streak towards the end of the eliminations and dropped to 5 wins and 6 losses. In the semifinals, the Realtors won four of their first five games in the first round, which includes victories over the top two teams, Alaska, 77-74 on March 24,^[3] and San Miguel, 78-70 on March 27.^[4] The Realtors clinch a playoff spot for a second finals berth via win 7-of-10 semifinals incentive when it defeated Purefoods Carne Norte Beefies, 92-77 on April 14. Having beaten the Alaska Milkmen twice in the semifinals, the Sta.Lucia Realtors blew a golden opportunity to advance in the finals series for the first time in franchise history when they bowed to the Milkmen, 69-77, in their playoff game on April 21 for the right to face San Miguel Beermen for the All-Filipino Cup crown.

In the Commissioner's Cup, after losing their first game to San Miguel in Urdaneta, Pangasinan, Sta.Lucia import Melvin Cheatum abandoned the team and left quickly, scored four points in a brief stint. The Realtors scored their first win in their next game playing all-Filipino. Former Pepsi import and one-time best import awardee Ronnie Coleman is on his third year of duty and was tapped to play for Sta.Lucia. The Realtors finish no higher and ended up last with 4 wins and 7 losses.

A deal was reach the following conference for the Realtors to acquire Lowell Briones from Mobiline and traded off-season recruit Jojo Martin and Jose Francisco to the Phone Pals, sans the duo of Jun Limpot and Dennis Espino, who were members of the national team, the Realtors chalk up only one win in eight outings in the Centennial Cup, their lone victory came after replacing imports Jojo English and Kirk King with the tandem of Andre Perry and Bobby Allen, who played for Sta.Lucia three years ago, with one game left in their Centennial Cup campaign, Allen was replaced by Joseph Temple, who teamed up with Perry for the rest of their games in the Governor's Cup. The Realtors won four of their next seven matches during the Governor's Cup but still fell short at 5 wins and 10 losses.

Roster

Pos. No. Player School G 1 Jason Webb De La Salle G 4 Gerardo Santiago Mapua Tech G 5 Ronnie Magsanoc UP-Diliman C 7 Richard Del Rosario De La Salle G 9 Elmer Cabahug University of Visayas C 10 Aramis Calpito San Sebastian C 11 Expedito Falcasantos Cebu Central Colleges G 14 Lowell Briones (A) University of Visayas F 16 Dennis Espino UST F 57 Romeo Dela Rosa South Western University C 72 Zandro Limpot De La Salle F Melvin Cheatum (C) University of Alabama F 24 Ronnie Coleman (C) University of Southern California G 42 Jojo English (G) G Kirk King (G) University of Connecticut G 21 Andre Perry (G) G Bobby Allen (G) University of Texas-Pan American G 24 Joseph Temple (G) University of San Diego G 12 Jose Francisco (T) FEU F 33 Jojo Martin (T) NCBA Position Name/s Head coach:  Derrick Pumaren Assistants: Adonis Tierra / Ricky Cui / Joshua Villapando (C) - Commissioners Cup Import, (G) - Governors Cup Import, (A) - Acquired, (T) - Traded '

_{Team Manager: Manuel Encarnado}

References