1986 Shell Oilers season

The 1986 Shell Oilers season was the 2nd season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Known as Shell Helix in the All-Filipino Conference and Formula Shell in the Third Conference.

Summary

Pilipinas Shell, on its second year in the PBA, with only one new acquisition in their roster; Melchor Ravanes from the disbanded Magnolia ballclub during the off-season, won two of their first three games in the first conference, the Shell Oilers, despite having two good imports; Dwight Anderson and Steward Granger, were in danger of being eliminated after losing six in a row, and had to beat Manila Beer in their last game to make it in the five-team semifinal round, after dropping their first two outings in the semis against Great Taste by one point in overtime and Ginebra, 106-113 on May 15, coach Freddie Webb decided to resign from his position, ^[1] he was replaced by Ed Ocampo, who only last year led Manila Beer to the finals, the Oilers finish with a 4-win, 14-loss record.

In the All-Filipino Conference, known as Shell Helix, the Oilers finished the eliminations with 4 wins and 2 losses, a game behind semis qualifier Tanduay and Great Taste, after winning their first game against Tanduay, 102-95, at the start of the semifinal round on August 10, the Oilers lost all their remaining assignments. Shell placed third with a 3-1 series win over Great Taste.

Renamed as Formula Shell in the third conference, the Spark Aiders brought in Dexter Shouse, a fourth round draftee by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1985, and 6-6 Fred Reynolds as their imports, the colorful Shouse immediately made an impact in Shell's first game on September 23 against the returning ballclub Magnolia Cheese where he scored 42 points in a 111-95 victory, the Spark Aiders finished the first round of eliminations at 4 wins and 2 losses, tied with Manila Beer and were a game behind Ginebra San Miguel, ^[2] they seized solo leadership early in the second round with two straight wins against Ginebra and Great Taste, ^[3] but when import Fred Reynolds was injured, Formula Shell lost their last four games in the eliminations and their first two matches in the quarterfinals for a six-game losing streak, Perry Young came in to replaced Reynolds and played for the team's final four games, three in the quarterfinal round.

Notable dates

May 6: Import Dwight Anderson scored 64 points as Shell beats Manila Beer, 137-114, to end a six-game losing streak.

October 19: Import Fred Reynolds held down Ginebra's high-scoring import Michael Hackett to a personal low 16 points as Formula Shell handed Ginebra San Miguel their second loss in a 109–105 win, at the start of the second round of eliminations. ^[4]

November 16: Formula Shell recorded the second largest winning margin of 54 points in a 154-100 victory over already qualified Tanduay Rhum which got another all-time record 13 triples from import Rob Williams, the win broke the six-game losing streak of the Spark Aiders, the game was delayed for almost one and a half hours after Dexter Shouse' powerful dunk late in the second quarter cause the ULTRA north goal to mis-aligned. The Spark Aiders were ousted from the semifinal race after Great Taste prevailed over Alaska Milk later in the night.

Roster

References