1990 San Miguel Beermen season

Summary

The Grandslam champions San Miguel Beermen with coach Norman Black playing as their import, won their first two games of the season. The beermen ended up with an even 5-win, 5-loss card and at the bottom of the five-team semifinals in the First Conference. They lost their first three semifinal matches which put them on a brink, including a 122-123 loss to sister team Añejo Rum 65 on Dante Gonzalgo's buzzer-beating triple. The Beermen were dethroned as champions when the Formula Shell Zoom Masters eliminated them from the finals race on April 19 with a 126-114 win. San Miguel places third with a 3-1 series victory over Presto Tivoli.

In the All-Filipino Conference, the San Miguel Beermen lost their first game to Añejo Rum, 89-105 on June 12, they won their next three outings but again finish with a 5-5 won-loss slate at the end of the eliminations. At the start of the semifinal round, the beermen regain their old, championship form, sweeping the first round and clinch the win-5 incentive on August 7, winning over Presto Tivoli, 110-109, on Alvin Teng's two free throws with no time left. San Miguel booted out sister team Añejo Rum, 132-117, in the first of two knockout games to determine Purefoods Hotdogs' finals opponent. The Beermen lost to Presto Tivolis, 115-117, in their sudden-death playoff on August 19. In the battle for third place, the Beermen lost to the Añejo Rum Masters in four games.

With only one title to defend from the three championships they won last season, the San Miguel Beermen played without four key men; Ramon Fernandez, Samboy Lim, Hector Calma and Yves Dignadice for their first three games, along with coach Norman Black, who were all part of the PBA-backed National team in the Beijing Asian Games. The Beermen did welcome the return of Ricardo Brown from the lineup but he only saw action for one game in the beermen's 147-149 opening day loss to Añejo on October 2. Michael Phelps was back as their import and his partner was Richard Morton, who was replaced by Ricky Wilson. The Beermen went down to one win and six losses before bowing out by winning their last three games. San Miguel had their worst finish and failed to advance in the next round for the first time since returning to the league in the 1986 Third Conference.

Roster

^{Assistant coach: Derrick Pumaren, replaced by Filomeno Pumaren Team Manager: Eddie Veneracion}