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    Sean Anthony looks back on Powerade team that authored rare upset of top seed

    Sean Anthony looks back on short, but special PBA stint of the Powerade Tigers
    Jul 11, 2020
    PHOTO: screenshot from AKTV coverage | seananthony10.com

    THE Powerade Tigers had a very brief but meaningful run in the PBA from 2010 to 2012 in which the club managed to make a lone finals appearance following one historic playoff run.

    The Tigers’ campaign in the PBA will be most remembered by their mighty upset in the 2011-2012 Philippine Cup where they, as an eighth-seed team in the playoffs, defeated top-ranked B-Meg in the quarterfinals.

    Powerade, the brand that the Coca-Cola Bottlers Corporation carried for two years, eventually reached the championship series that conference, but their championship aspirations came to an end with a five-game defeat to Talk ‘N Text.

    The Tigers franchise was eventually sold to the Sultan 900 Inc., a company owned by now Pacman party list Rep. Mikee Romero, but despite the short stint, some of the players that had a stop during those years went on to have great careers in the PBA.

    JVee Casio, the number one overall pick in the 2011 draft, came through Powerade before joining Alaska, and fellow Smart Gilas 1.0 standout Marcio Lassiter also landed with the Tigers first before being traded to San Miguel eventually.

    Sean Anthony, who was part of the Mythical First Team of the 2019 season, also started his career with Powerade after a draft day trade by Air21.

    Of course, Gary David was the star of the Powerade team also coached by Bo Perasol, where he erupted during that famous victory over BMeg in the knockout quarterfinals match in which he heated for 37 points in their 131-123 overtime victory.

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    In hindsight, Anthony said the Powerade team could have continued their special run had the Tigers stayed together.

    “Looking back, that’s definitely how we thought at that time,” said Anthony during a recent SPIN Sidelines episode. “You see how Marcio has gone off and he’s been an amazing player with San Miguel. JVee led Alaska to the championship and Doug has been as solid player. Gary was obviously Gary and he did his thing.

    “We had some good pieces. You’ll never know. It would have been nice definitely. Those things are out of our control. But I’m happy with where I am right now with NorthPort,” Anthony said.

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    Anthony recalled the immediate transformation of Powerade from cellar dwellers to a really decent team. The Tigers only had nine wins in 31 games during the 2010-2011 season.

    “It was a nice experience. The thing was, the year before, it was a rebuild year. We had finished, in my rookie year, like almost at the bottom of the league. And then there were I think four players that came back the next year – Gary David, myself, Will Antonio, Ricky Calimag – and the rest were all new players through trades or drafts.

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    “And then, we got JVee, Marcio, and other good guys that was just built like a really close team which was a fun thing to be part of it,” Anthony said.

    The now NorthPort cager also credits the leadership of then team manager and governor JB Baylon in keeping the team close to one another and creating a cohesion among themselves.

    “Boss JB always makes sure we would have fun dinners and get togethers. It was really a close- knit team that came out into the series that first all-Filipino right away. We started playing well,” said Anthony.

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      After the upset over BMeg, the Tigers also dispatched Rain or Shine in the semifinals to arrange a finals series with Talk ‘N Text. The Tigers, however, fell in a huge hole, dropping the first three games before finally losing in Game Five, 110-101.

      Powerade never returned to the playoffs after that upset over BMeg, but Anthony said those days with the Tigers have a special place in his career.

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      “Coke decided to change direction with the franchise and we were split apart. That was a good part and a fun team to be a part of for sure,” Anthony said.

      Watch the SPIN Sidelines episode with Sean Anthony below:

      Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

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      PHOTO: screenshot from AKTV coverage | seananthony10.com
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