The 1998 Formula Shell Super Unleaded season was the 14th season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
Contents
Summary
Formula Shell lost their first four games in the All-Filipino Cup before scoring its first win on February 17, an 86-85 overtime victory over Gordon's Gin. Head coach Chito Narvasa has filed a leave of absence with only four games left for the Zoom Masters in the eliminations, assistant coach Perry Ronquillo was named interim coach and led the team to three victories, but failed to advance in the next round.
Bobby Parks played two games in the Commissioner's Cup before John Best, in his third stint in the PBA, took over as the Zoom Masters' import. Best led Formula Shell to the best-of-five semifinals against top-seeded Alaska Milkmen, winning twice over Purefoods in the quarterfinal round. The Zoom Masters almost made it to the championship round, losing by two points, 69-71, to the Milkmen in the deciding Game five of the semifinal series.
John Best teamed up with the streak-shooting Donald Williams, who was named final four MVP when his school North Carolina beat the Chris Webber-led Michigan in the NCAA finals. The Zoom Masters beat Ginebra in their semifinal playoff, 78-75 in overtime on October 4, to reach the Centennial Cup finals against Mobiline, Williams finish that game with 39 points and hitting eight triples. In a one-game championship on October 6, Shell lost to Mobiline in overtime by a point, 66-67.
In the Governor's Cup, John Best and Donald Williams wouldn't be denied as the Zoom Masters exact revenge on the Mobiline Phone Pals, the two teams played in the finals series after they knock off San Miguel Beermen and Purefoods respectively in sudden-death playoffs when all four semifinalist finish with identical 12 wins and 9 losses. Shell won over Mobiline in an exciting seven-game series, coming back from a 2-3 deficit to win the last two games and clinch their third PBA title and the first in six years.
Occurrences
Shell's former coach Chito Narvasa has moved over to the Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs as their new head coach beginning the Commissioner's Cup.
Shell release Estong Ballesteros to the Pangasinan Presidents in the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) during the middle of the year. Shell was fined P50,000 for failing to inform the PBA office.