# 2008–09 Coca-Cola Tigers season

The 2008–09 Coca-Cola Tigers season was the seventh season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

## Key dates

* August 30: The 2008 PBA Draft took place in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.
* September 1: The free agency period started.

## Depth chart

| Pos. | Starting 5 | Bench 1 | Reserve | Inactive |
| C | Asi Taulava | Mark Telan | Lawrence Bonus | |
| PF | James Penny | Ricky Calimag | Jason Misolas | |
| SF | Nic Belasco | Cesar Catli | | M.C. Caceres |
| SG | Ronjay Buenafe | Mark Macapagal | Rodney Santos | |
| PG | Alex Cabagnot | Aries Dimaunahan | Ronjay Enrile | R.J. Rizada |

## Philippine Cup
### Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Alaska Aces | 12 | 6 | .667 | — | Advance to semifinals |
| 2 | Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters | 11 | 7 | .611 | 1 | Advance to semifinals |
| 3 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 10 | 8 | .556 | 2 | Advance to quarterfinals |
| 4 | Rain or Shine Elasto Painters | 10 | 8 | .556 | 2 | Advance to quarterfinals |
| 5 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 10 | 8 | .556 | 2 | Advance to quarterfinals |
| 6 | San Miguel Beermen | 9 | 9 | .500 | 3 | Advance to wildcard round |
| 7 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants | 8 | 10 | .444 | 4 | Advance to wildcard round |
| 8 | Air21 Express | 8 | 10 | .444 | 4 | Advance to wildcard round |
| 9 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 7 | 11 | .389 | 5 | Advance to wildcard round |
| 10 | Red Bull Barako | 5 | 13 | .278 | 7 | |
* 1 2 3 Head-to-head differential: Barangay Ginebra +16, Rain or Shine −3, Sta. Lucia −13
* 1 2 Head-to-head record: Purefoods 2–0 Air21

### Game log

2008–09 PBA Philippine Cup game log :
October
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 4
Talk 'N Text
97–98
Buenafe (20)
Taulava (14)
Cabagnot (7)
Araneta Coliseum
0–1
2
October 11
Alaska
62–69
Taulava (21)
Taulava, Belasco (9)
Cabagnot (4)
Negros Occidental
0–2
3
October 15
Purefoods
103-102
Taulava, Belasco (20)
Telan (16)
Taulava (8)
Araneta Coliseum
1–2
4
October 17
Air21
84–95
Belasco (22)
Taulava (16)
Buenafe (7)
Araneta Coliseum
1–3
5
October 22
Sta. Lucia
82–83
Taulava (24)
Taulava (15)
Cabagnot, Belasco (4)
Araneta Coliseum
1–4
6
October 26
Rain or Shine
112-96
Taulava (30)
Belasco (13)
Cabagnot (8)
Araneta Coliseum
2–4 :
November
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
7
November 2
Red Bull
97-92
Taulava (17)
Telan (10)
Cabagnot, Taulava (3)
Araneta Coliseum
3–4
8
November 8
Ginebra
77–81
Belasco (22)
Belasco (14)
Cabagnot (7)
Lucena City
3–5
9
November 12
San Miguel
86–89
Cabagnot, Telan (14)
Telan (11)
Cabagnot, Taulava (4)
Cuneta Astrodome
3–6
10
November 15
Air21
101–111
Cabagnot (19)
Taulava (25)
Cabagnot (11)
Cuneta Astrodome
3–7
11
November 21
Purefoods
93-72
Buenafe (18)
Taulava (12)
Cabagnot (5)
Araneta Coliseum
4–7
12
November 23
Rain or Shine
84-73
Taulava (16)
Telan (11)
Cabagnot (11)
Cuneta Astrodome
5–7
13
November 27
Ginebra
77–84
Telan (17)
Taulava (14)
Buenafe (3)
Olivarez Gym
5–8 :
December
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
14
December 5
Alaska Aces
83–99
Taulava (20)
Taulava (15)
Dimaunahan (6)
Araneta Coliseum
5–9
15
December 7
Talk 'N Text
82–90
Macapagal (31)
Taulava (22)
Taulava, Enrile (5)
Araneta Coliseum
5–10
16
December 12
San Miguel
105-91
Belasco (23)
Belasco (15)
Cabagnot (6)
Araneta Coliseum
6–10
17
December 14
Sta. Lucia
69–90
Telan (20)
Telan (15)
Arigo, Dimaunahan (4)
Araneta Coliseum
6–11
18
December 19
Red Bull
88-86
Arigo (31)
Telan (14)
Cabagnot (7)
Ynares Center
7–11 :
2008–09 schedule :

### Playoffs

2008–09 PBA Philippine Cup playoff game log :
January
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
December 28
San Miguel
89–99
Taulava (20)
Taulava (14)
Cabagnot (7)
Araneta Coliseum
0–1 :
2008–09 schedule :

## Fiesta Cup
### Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | San Miguel Beermen | 11 | 3 | .786 | — | Advance to semifinals |
| 2 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 8 | 6 | .571 | 3 | Advance to semifinals |
| 3 | Rain or Shine Elasto Painters | 8 | 6 | .571 | 3 | Twice-to-beat in the wildcard round |
| 4 | Burger King Whoppers | 8 | 6 | .571 | 3 | Twice-to-beat in the wildcard round |
| 5 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 7 | 7 | .500 | 4 | Knockout in the wildcard round |
| 6 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants | 7 | 7 | .500 | 4 | Knockout in the wildcard round |
| 7 | Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters | 7 | 7 | .500 | 4 | Knockout in the wildcard round |
| 8 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 6 | 8 | .429 | 5 | Knockout in the wildcard round |
| 9 | Alaska Aces | 6 | 8 | .429 | 5 | Twice-to-win in the wildcard round |
| 10 | Barako Bull Energy Boosters | 2 | 12 | .143 | 9 | Twice-to-win in the wildcard round |
* 1 2 3 Head-to-head differential: Rain or Shine +15, Barangay Ginebra −7, Burger King −8; second seed playoff: Barangay Ginebra 114–71 Rain or Shine
* 1 2 3 Head-to-head differential: Sta. Lucia +7, Purefoods +3, Talk 'N Text −10
* 1 2 Eighth seed playoff: Coca-Cola 81–74 Alaska

### Game log

2009 PBA Fiesta Cup game log :
March
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
March 4
Ginebra
103–110
Sullinger (28)
Sullinger, Taulava (11)
Taulava (5)
Ynares Center
0–1
2
March 6
Barako
62–69
Sullinger, Buenafe (18)
Taulava (14)
Cabagnot (8)
Cuneta Astrodome
1–1
3
March 11
Talk 'N Text
111-133
Sullinger (32)
Taulava (17)
Cabagnot (7)
Cuneta Astrodome
1–2
4
March 15
San Miguel
96–106
Sullinger (23)
Taulava (8)
Buenafe (5)
Araneta Coliseum
1–3
5
March 20
Burger King
109–127
Sullinger (32)
Sullinger (16)
Cabagnot (6)
Araneta Coliseum
1–4
6
March 26
Purefoods
80-89
Penny (26)
Penny, Taulava (14)
Cabagnot (6)
Ynares Sports Arena
1–5 :
April
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
7
April 12
Alaska Aces
89-85
Penny (36)
Penny (10)
Cabagnot, Taulava (3)
Araneta Coliseum
2–5
8
April 29
Purefoods
85-92
Penny, Belasco (17)
Penny (13)
Cabagnot (6)
Araneta Coliseum
2–6 :
May
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
9
May 3
Barako
120–106
Penny (36)
Taulava (10)
Cabagnot (5)
Araneta Coliseum
3–6
10
May 6
Sta. Lucia
88–79
Taulava (24)
Taulava (20)
Cabagnot (6)
Araneta Coliseum
4–6
11
May 9
Talk 'N Text
100-103
Taulava (26)
Taulava (17)
Cabagnot, Taulava (4)
Bohol
4–7
12
May 15
Rain or Shine
94–91
Penny (30)
Penny (13)
Cabagnot (4)
Ynares Center
5–7
13
May 20
Ginebra
85-122
Buenafe (21)
Araneta Coliseum
5–8
12
May 22
San Miguel
105–89
Buenafe (30)
Taulava (14)
Penny (5)
Araneta Coliseum
6–8 :
2008–09 schedule :

### Playoffs

2009 PBA Fiesta Cup playoff game log :
May
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 24
Alaska
81–74
Penny (29)
Penny (18)
Cabagnot (7)
Ynares Center
1–0
1
May 31
Sta. Lucia
88–94
Penny (33)
Penny (17)
Cabagnot (4)
Araneta Coliseum
1–1 :
2008–09 schedule :

## Statistics

| Player | GP | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Leo Avenido | 7 | 7.7 | .353 | .200 | 1.000 | 1.9 | .6 | .0 | .0 | 2.7 |
| Nic Belasco | 32 | 32.1 | .393 | .265 | .699 | 7.7 | 1.3 | .3 | .3 | 11.8 |
| Lawrence Bonus | 2 | 12 | .286 | .000 | .000 | 3.5 | .5 | .5 | .0 | 2.0 |
| Ronjay Buenafe | 32 | 23.4 | .406 | .357 | .825 | 2.8 | 1.6 | .8 | .1 | 11.1 |
| Alex Cabagnot | 32 | 37.0 | .356 | .240 | .667 | 3.6 | 5.3 | 1.4 | .4 | 10.8 |
| M.C. Caceres | 2 | 4.5 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
| Ricky Calimag | 27 | 11.4 | .402 | .400 | .737 | 2.4 | .5 | .0 | .0 | 4.1 |
| Cesar Catli | 14 | 15.3 | .333 | .315 | .000 | 2.7 | .5 | .1 | .1 | 4.2 |
| Aries Dimaunahan | 31 | 10.4 | .372 | .283 | .500 | 1.3 | 1.4 | .5 | .1 | 1.7 |
| Ronjay Enrile | 9 | 9.1 | .300 | .250 | .000 | .9 | 1.1 | .0 | .0 | 2.3 |
| Kalani Ferreria | 1 | 5 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
| Mark Macapagal | 35 | 22.1 | .396 | .314 | .746 | 2.7 | 1.1 | .9 | .2 | 8.4 |
| Jason Misolas | 21 | 9.3 | .310 | .333 | .500 | 2.3 | .3 | .2 | .1 | 1.1 |
| James Penny | 11 | 42.7 | .493 | .190 | .647 | 13.1 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 26.1 |
| R.J. Rizada | 37 | 17.2 | .504 | .389 | .512 | 2.7 | 1.2 | .3 | .1 | 5.5 |
| Rodney Santos | 12 | 7.8 | .303 | .167 | 1.000 | .8 | .4 | .0 | .0 | 2.4 |
| Dale Singson | 5 | 8.2 | .385 | .286 | .500 | 1.4 | 1.0 | .4 | .0 | 2.4 |
| James Sullinger | 5 | 39.8 | .558 | .235 | .500 | 10.2 | 1.8 | .8 | .2 | 26.6 |
| Asi Taulava | 32 | 36.7 | .439 | .308 | .552 | 12.8 | 3.0 | .4 | .5 | 16.9 |
| Mark Telan | 35 | 28.3 | .500 | .214 | .624 | 6.9 | 1.4 | .3 | .5 | 9.2 |

## Awards and records
### Awards

* Asi Taulava - Mythical First Team, All-Defensive Team

### Records

Note: Coca-Cola Tigers Records Only
| Record | Stat | Holder | Date/s |
| Most points in one game | 31 | Mark Macapagal vs. Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters | December 7, 2008 |
| Most points in one game | 31 | John Arigo vs. Red Bull Barako | December 19, 2008 |
| Most rebounds in one game | 25 | Asi Taulava vs. Air21 Express | November 15, 2008 |
| Most assists in one game | 11 | Alex Cabagnot | 2 Occasions |
| Most blocks in one game | 2 | Mark Telan vs. Barangay Ginebra Kings | November 27, 2008 |
| Most steals in one game | 5 | Alex Cabagnot vs. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters | October 26, 2008 |
| Most minutes played in one game | 50 | Asi Taulava vs. Purefoods TJ Giants | October 15, 2008 |