Year 1995 was definitely a breakout season for Vergel Meneses and the Sunkist Orange Juicers — not only because The Aerial Voyager captured his only Most Valuable Player award, but how the RFM-owned team became a dynasty in the making.
Sunkist barely completed a grand slam, falling a game short of advancing to the championship round in the season-ending Governors’ Cup. A triple crown that season would have been the perfect way to cap an epic year for Meneses and the Juicers, but things started to fall apart from there on as changes in the squad, mainly because of economic factor, led to sudden regress of the team.
Nelson Asaytono left the team the following season, even as Derick Pumaren, who led the team to two titles in 1995, left the team midway in 1997 to become co-coach of the Mobiline Pals, sharing the duties with Tommy Manotoc.
“Nung 1996, parati kaming kulang ng isang panalao para makarating sa semis,” said Meneses, now serving his last term as Mayor of Bulakan, Bulacan. “Naiba na rin yung atmosphere, naiba na rin yung composition ng team. Yun ang observation ko, medyo hindi na kami ganung kalakas.”
Asaytono was traded to San Miguel Beer for Ato Agustin. Incidentally, these two players bitterly fought the MVP award in 1992 won by the latter.
Agustin’s trade to Sunkist, which later on carried the name Pop Cola, was brought out by need as Boybits Victoria was sidelined by injuries for the most part of the season while the Beermen were needing someone who could shore up their front line as they have just lost Alvin Teng a few years back.
Sunkist couldn’t replicate its previous success even with the addition of Agustin and Teng, two members of San Miguel’s grand slam team.
“Yung every position namin, hindi na ganun ka-dominant,” said Meneses. “Parang kapag inisip mo, although parehas naman silang magaling, mas offensive threat talaga si Nelson kaysa kay Alvin Teng. Hindi parehas. Si Pareng Nelson kapag binigyan mo, tuwang-tuwa ka kasi halos sure ka kapag nag-assist ka. Yung ibang players, kapag binigyan mo ng assist, hindi ka siogurado o mag-iisip ka pa. Kay Nelson, hindi ka magasasawa.”
Photo from PBA Annual 1995.
Those slumping years prompted Meneses to find opportunities elsewhere and in 1999, he asked permission from RFM management to seek out offers. He did find a persistent suitor in San Miguel Beer, which by that time was on a rebuilding stage.
San Miguel, then being coached by Ron Jacobs, had just made it to the finals twice in the 1998 season and entering the new year, the legendary American mentor installed his understudy, Jong Uichico to be the new coach of the team and wanted Vergel Meneses to provide the veteran presence for the Beermen, who then had a sophomore player and up and coming star in Danny Ildefonso and drafted spectacular rookie Danny Seigle.
“Dapat San Miguel ako,” Meneses said. “Si Coach Ron Jacobs, nakikipag-deal sa akin papunta akong San Miguel via trade. Kasi, nung time na yun, nagpaalam na rin ako sa RFM na kung puwede ma-trade ako kasi parang gusto ko yung bagong environment.”
“Yung sa akin, ang tingin ko kasi, ako na yung nagiging problema ng team (sa Pop Cola). Parang mas maganda kung ako na lang yung i-trade at magkaroon sila ng bagiong core ng team. Yung pagkakapunta ko sa Ginebra, it happened overnight. It was Mr. (Elmer) Yanga and Mr. Henry Cojuangco who made it possible.”
San Miguel wasn’t able to get Meneses, by it did acquire Victoria and Nic Belasco in a separate trade with Pop Cola for William Antonio and Asaytono, who had a return tour of duty with the RFM franchise. By next year, the Beermen tried to lure another big name in their fold when they made a pitch to Jojo Lastimosa, but the latter chose to join the Pop Cola Panthers, who just appointed one of his close friends, Chot Reyes, as head coach.
Ginebra, on the other hand, acquired Meneses, and in return, shipped Noli Locsin to the 800s.
“Gabi lang talaga nangyari yun,” added Meneses when asked about the trade. “But playing for Ginebra iba yun. Madadagdagan ang sikat mo doon. Iba yung iniwang legacy doon ni Coach Sonny Jaqworski. Kumbaga, na-establish niya yung brand ng Ginebra, so kahit sinong mapunta doon, nawala man siya, andun pa rin yung Ginebra. Andun pa rin yung mga fans ng Ginebra, na naging loyal sa Ginebra.”
At Ginebra, Meneses, along with fellow veteran player, Jun Limpot, led the team to a finals run in the 2001 All-Filipino best-of-seven finals but lost to San Miguel in six games.
