Shell Turbo Chargers
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| Shell Turbo Chargers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Joined | 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | Shell Azodrin Bugbusters Shell Azocord Shell Oilers Shell Rimula X Formula Shell Super Unleaded Shell Velocity Shell Turbo Chargers 1985-2005 |
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| Team colors | Blue, Red, Silver, Green, yellow, purple, and white | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Company | Pilipinas Shell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coaches | Freddie Webb, Joe Lipa, Dante Silverio, Arlene Rodriguez, Rino Salazar, Chito Narvasa, Perry Ronquilio, John Moran, Leo Austria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championships | 4 (1990 Open Conference, 1992 Second Conference, 1998 Governors Cup, 1999 All-Filipino Cup) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Withdrew | 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Shell Turbo Chargers is a former Philippine Basketball Association team under the ownership of Pilipinas Shell Corporation. Shell has been a member of the PBA since 1985 until 2005 when the team filed for a leave of absence after the season. Shell sold its franchise to PBL team Welcoat Paints in February 2006.
Shell has won four PBA championships, two of those were from 1998-1999. Aside from the Turbo Chargers moniker, Shell also carried the monikers of Shell Azodrin Bugbusters, Shell Azocord, Shell Oilers, Shell Rimula X, Formula Shell Super Unleaded, and Shell Velocity.
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[edit] History
Shell acquired the franchise of the famed Crispa Redmanizers in 1985 for a reported two million peso deal. In Shell's first season, the team was dubbed as the Bugbusters and acquired several remnants of the Crispa franchise in William "Bogs" Adornado, Philip Cezar and Bernie Fabiosa under head coach Freddie Webb.
The teams' rise to fame came during the late-1980s when they were bannered by two University of the Philippines, Diliman standouts Ronnie Magsanoc and Benjie Paras to solidify Shell as one of the popular teams in the pro league.
Paras is also the only PBA cager to ever win the Rookie of the Year and the coveted Most Valuable Player plum in the same season when the slotman won it all in 1989.
In the 1990 PBA Open Conference, Shell won its first-ever PBA championship defeating crowd-favorite Anejo Rhum 4-2. But the series was marred by Anejo's infamous walkout in the sixth and final game of the series to award the Shell the win in Game six and the series clincher.
At that time, Shell was bannered by import Bobby Parks, who holds seven Best Import Awards in his PBA career, most of them with the Shell franchise.
A year later, Shell suffered one of the biggest collapses in PBA finals history during the 1991 PBA First Conference, when they blew a 3-1 series lead in the series eventually losing to arch-rival Ginebra in seven games on a Rudy Distrito game-winner.
Shell won the 1992 PBA Second Conference crown but waited six years before winning another PBA crown by capturing the 1998 Governor's Cup, defeating the Mobiline Phone Pals in seven games.
Their final championship was during the 1999 PBA All-Filipino Conference defeating heavy favorite Tanduay Rhum in six games. Shell was bannered by Paras, Gerry Esplana, Victor Pablo, Chris Jackson and Noy Castillo as one of their primary players under head coach Perry Ronquilio.
1999 also became a banner year for Paras, who won his second Most Valuable Player award in his career, despite the arrival of several talented Filipino-foreigner cagers during the said campaign. However, injuries in the next three seasons forced the so-called "Tower of Power" to retire after the 2003 season.
Shell suffered several slumps in the next four seasons (2000-2003) before resurfacing in during the 2004-2005 season as one of the contenders for the PBA crown. Under head coach Leo Austria (who won the Rookie of the Year honors in 1985 as a player for Shell), the Turbo Chargers placed fourth in the PBA Philippine Cup and third in the season-ending 2005 PBA Fiesta Conference.
[edit] Disbandment
During the 2004-05 PBA season, Shell was rumored to disband after the said season due to the fact that their mother company, Royal Dutch Shell in the The Netherlands feels that it is not feasible for them to maintain a franchise in the PBA.
With this, port company Harbour Centre was also rumored to purchase the rights of the Shell franchise. However, both parties did not come into an agreement as Harbour Centre wanted a cheaper price than what Shell wanted. On August 3, 2005, Shell announced that it will take a leave of absence from the league.
Prior to the announcement, Shell traded most of its core members to a number of teams. Tony Dela Cruz and Rich Alvarez were dealt to the Alaska Aces while Ronald Tubid was sent to the Air21 Express. The remaining members of the team were selected through the dispersal draft.
Shell was given a six-month deadline for the team to either return to the league in the next PBA season or sell the team to a prospective buyer. On January 2006, PBL powerhouse Welcoat Paints bought the squad for a reported 30-40 million pesos and entered the league in the 2006-07 PBA season
[edit] Players of note
[edit] PBA 25 greatest players
- William "Bogs" Adornado - played for Shell in its inaugural year
- Philip Cezar - played for Shell in its inaugural year
- Abet Guidaben - final team he played before ending his PBA career
- Freddie Hubalde
- Ronnie Magsanoc - led Shell to two championships, many time All-Star and Mythical team selections
- Bernie Fabiosa - played for Shell in its inaugural year
- Benjie Paras - 2-time PBA MVP, only player to win the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season (1989)
[edit] Other notable players
- Dennis Abbatuan
- Paul Alvarez
- Rich Alvarez - 2004-05 Rookie of the Year with Shell
- Leo Austria - 1985 Rookie of the Year with Shell
- Sonny Cabatu
- Noy Castillo - Member of the 1998 and 1999 championship teams
- Ed Cordero
- Onchie dela Cruz
- Tony dela Cruz - Mythical Second Team member in 2004-05
- Romy dela Rosa
- Gerry Esplana - Member of the 1998 and 1999 championship teams
- Allan Garrido
- Pol Herrera
- Chris Jackson - Many time Defensive Player of the Year winner
- Jojo Lim
- Jojo Martin
- Peter Naron
- Victor Pablo - Member of the 1998 and 1999 championship teams
- Willie Pearson
- Jay Ramirez
- Rommel Santos
- Mark Telan - 2001 PBA Most Improved Player with the Turbo Chargers
- Richie Ticzon
- Arnie Tuadles
- Calvin Tuadles
- Manny Victorino
[edit] Imports
- Bobby Parks - Seven-time PBA Best Import
- John Best - Member of the 1998 Govenors Cup championship team
- Stewart Granger
- Derrick Rowland
- Dexter Shouse
- Kelvin Upshaw
- Donald Williams - Member of the 1998 Govenors Cup championship team
- Askia Jones
- Vincent Askew
- Kenny Redfield - led Shell to the 1996 Commissioners Cup final after a buzzer-beating three-pointer against Ginebra.
