LIST: PBA TEAMS WHICH FELL SHORT IN RESPECTIVE GRAND SLAM BIDS

TNT on Wednesday will begin its Grand Slam bid when it battles NLEX at the start of the PBA Philippine Cup. The Tropang 5G will look to join Crispa, San Miguel, Alaska, and San Mig Coffee in the list of teams who captured the rare troika of titles in one season.

But as we already know based on history, winning a Grand Slam is easier said than done. Here is a list of teams who missed the rare feat and why their bid fizzled out.

READ: TNT steps up bid for grand slam with Inspire Academy traning camp

TOYOTA (1975)

The first Grand Slam was won in 1976 by Crispa, but Toyota nearly did the feat in the maiden season of the league. The Comets claimed the First and Second Conference, but lost in the All-Philippine Cup to the Redmanizers in the final salvo of the season in Game 5 with a 96-91 win. Bogs Adornado scored 18 points in the grand finale that also saw a couple of brawls and punches being thrown on those occasions.

CRISPA (1977)

Crispa was on the verge of a second Grand Slam just a year after it claimed its first. The Redmanizers failed to reach the finals of the third conference – the Invitational Cup – when the Oscar Schmidt-led Emtex Brazil steamrolled the opposition and Toyota being the other finalist instead of its archrival Crispa.

GREAT TASTE (1985)

The Coffee Makers captured the Open and All-Filipino Conferences with the likes of Ricardo Brown, Arnie Tuadles, and Manny Victorino. Import changes, however, led to Great Taste failing to reach the finals, and even losing in the battle for third against Ginebra San Miguel.

TANDUAY (1986)

Tanduay looked on its way to a Grand Slam after titles in the Reinforced and All-Filipino Conference. The Rhum Masters struggled in the Reinforced Conference and not even a mid-conference trade that sent Abet Guidaben to Manila Beer for Ramon Fernandez and Turo Valenzona replacing Orly Castelo in the coaching ranks could salvage the team and its trifecta bid.

SUNKIST (1995)

Vergel Meneses was the cornerstone of the Sunkist team that ruled the All-Filipino and Commissioner’s Cup during the 1995 season, beating Alaska on both occasions. Unfortunately, the Orange Juicers got into a slump during the semifinals where they lost to eventual finalists Alaska and San Miguel after topping the elimination round.

ALASKA (1998)

The Milkmen were primed for another Grand Slam in the 1998 season with the All-Filipino and Commissioner’s Cups until the national team came calling. Head coach Tim Cone, Johnny Abarrientos, Kenneth Duremdes, and Jojo Lastimosa were picked to play for the Philippine team in the Asian Games in Bangkok, leaving the Alaska squad without their top stars and missing the playoffs in the Governors’ Cup.

TALK ‘N TEXT (2010-2011)

After titles in the Philippine Cup and Commissioner’s Cup, Talk ‘N Text barged into the Governors’ Cup finals and held a 2-1 lead in the series over Petron. The Tropang Texters coached by Chot Reyes lost the Grand Slam after it dropped an 85-73 defeat over the Blaze Boosters in Game 7.

SAN MIGUEL (2016-2017)

PHOTO: Jerome Ascano

Import changes dampened San Miguel’s bid for a Grand Slam during the Governors’ Cup after the Beermen had Wendell McKines, Terik Bridgeman, and Terrence Watson. After the Philippine Cup and Commissioner’s Cup crowns, the Beermen were ousted by eventual champion Barangay Ginebra.

SAN MIGUEL (2019)

PHOTO: Jerome Ascaño

An injury to import Dez Wells forced the Beermen to look for a replacement. Worst, a fight involving Wells, Arwind Santos, Ronald Tubid, and Kelly Nabong put a cloud in their campaign. San Miguel went on to lose its Grand Slam bid after a quarterfinal exit against eventual titlist Barangay Ginebra.

2025-04-19T12:08:16Z