Red Bull Barako
Encyclopedia
- For the franchise carrying the same brand, see Barako Bull Energy.
- This article is about the basketball team's former name, "Red Bull Barako", which also refers to a coffee drink. For other use of "Red Bull", see Red Bull (disambiguation)Red Bull (disambiguation)Red Bull can refer to:*Red Bull, an energy drink*Red Bull GmbH, the company that manufactures the energy drink*Red Bull Records, independent record label owned by the energy drink company-Sports teams owned by Red Bull GmbH:In association football:...
.
The Barako Bull Energy Boosters was a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
that is owned by the Photokina Marketing Corporation. They entered the league in 2000 after a successful stint in the semi-professional Philippine Basketball League
Philippine Basketball League
The Philippine Basketball League is a commercial semi-professional basketball league in the Philippines. The league is composed of several commercial teams with several collegiate and provincial stars.-History:...
during the late 1990s where the team won a championship in 1996.
It used to be known as Red Bull Barako before the team announced its name change.
Barako Bull has won two Commissioner's Cups, in 2001 and in 2002 and the 2006 Fiesta Conference. Willie Miller
Willie Miller (basketball player)
Willie V. Miller, Jr. , better known simply as Willie Miller, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barako Bull Energy in the Philippine Basketball Association....
became the first Barako to win the league MVP title in 2002.
The franchise took a leave of absence after the 2010-11 PBA Philippine Cup. The players were distributed to other teams via dispersal draft as their slot will be taken over by guest team Smart Gilas
Smart Gilas
Smart Gilas Pilipinas is a developmental Philippine national basketball team sponsored by Smart Communications and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas...
for the Commissioner's Cup. In March 2011, Barako Bull announced that it will not be returning to the league.. Eventually, the franchise was sold to the Lina Group of Companies on July 2011 upon approval of the PBA Board of Governors.
Philippine Basketball League
Photokina Marketing joined the Philippine Basketball LeaguePhilippine Basketball League
The Philippine Basketball League is a commercial semi-professional basketball league in the Philippines. The league is composed of several commercial teams with several collegiate and provincial stars.-History:...
during the mid-90s. They played under the name Agfa Color in the early days of their PBL stint. Once, they had San Miguel
San Miguel Beermen
The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food...
player Danny Ildefonso
Danny Ildefonso
Danilo Ildefonso is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Petron Blaze Boosters in the Philippine Basketball Association. Nicknamed Danny I and The Demolition Man, Ildefonso is a two-time PBA Most Valuable Player in 2000 and 2001...
as one of their players along with his NU Bulldogs
National University (Philippines)
National University is a university in Manila, Philippines.It is a founding member of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and is a pioneer of the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities...
teammate Lordy Tugade
Lordy Tugade
Lordy Tugade is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays and recently signed by the Petron Blaze Boosters....
and Jonas Mariano coming back from a knee injury with Ginebra the year before.
It also saw the talent of Cebuanos
Cebuano people
The Cebuano people , are a Visayan ethnic group in Cebu and form the second largest cultural-linguistic group in the Philippines.-History:...
Jimwell Torion and Junthy Valenzuela
Junthy Valenzuela
Junthy Valenzuela is a Filipino basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association, a former Red Bull Barako player who last played for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
along with other provincial cagers Rene Suba and Jun Carmona. Letran star Kerby Raymundo
Kerby Raymundo
Kerby Mariano Raymundo is a Filipino professional basketball player currently playing for the B-Meg Llamados in the Philippine Basketball Association...
and Filipino-American Davonn Harp later joined the squad.
Agfa Color/Red Bull would always fall short of a title as Tanduay
Tanduay Rhum Masters
The Tanduay Rhum Masters is a former Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association , Philippine Basketball Association and Philippine Basketball League basketball team.-History:...
won several PBL championships at their expense. In 1999, they were among the best teams in the league but would lose to Welcoat Paints in the finals of Challenge Cup. In October, the PBA announced that Red Bull was accepted as the 10th member of the league beginning in the 2000 season.
Batang Red Bull Energy Kings
The franchise played their first PBA season as the Batang Red Bull Energy Kings. Red Bull was allowed to take six players from their PBL team and took Kerby RaymundoKerby Raymundo
Kerby Mariano Raymundo is a Filipino professional basketball player currently playing for the B-Meg Llamados in the Philippine Basketball Association...
, Davonn Harp, Lordy Tugade
Lordy Tugade
Lordy Tugade is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays and recently signed by the Petron Blaze Boosters....
, Jimwell Torion, Junthy Valenzuela
Junthy Valenzuela
Junthy Valenzuela is a Filipino basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association, a former Red Bull Barako player who last played for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
and Bernard Tanpua. PBL Commissioner Yeng Guiao
Yeng Guiao
Joseller "Yeng" Guiao is a Filipino professional basketball head coach for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippine Basketball Association, and was also the head coach of the Philippine National Basketball Team. Guiao won four PBA titles since starting his head coaching job for Swift in...
, a former PBA coach, resigned his post to join Red Bull as coach in the PBA. They also got Ato Agustin
Ato Agustin
Renato Agustin , better known as Ato "The Atom Bomb" Agustin, is a former Filipino professional basketball player. He played college ball for the Lyceum of the Philippines, before moving on to play professional basketball in the Philippine Basketball Association.Agustin is a former Most Valuable...
from the expansion pool.
After losing their opening game in the 2000 All-Filipino Cup
2000 PBA All-Filipino Cup
-8th-seed playoff:Mobiline had a better quotient on their games among Shell and Barangay Ginebra hence they were awarded with the #7 seed.-Quarterfinals:Note: The Purefoods-Sta...
to Barangay Ginebra Kings
Barangay Ginebra Kings
The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation...
, they won two more games to improve to 2-3. But the league disqualified Raymundo from playing. It was discovered that he had falsified his documents, claiming he graduated from high school in 1996, when actually he finished his secondary studies a year later. Mick Pennisi
Mick Pennisi
Michael Alfio Pennisi , better known as Mick Pennisi, is a Filipino-Australian professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Barako Bull Energy. He was automatically hired by Red Bull in 2000...
also arrived as a solution to the team's lack of height. The games won by the Energy Kings were nullified. Red Bull finished 10th and failed to enter the quarterfinals.
In the Commissioner's Cup, Jack Hartman became Red Bull's first import but failed to show anything promising for Batang Red Bull which failed to enter the quarters once again. Before the end of the tournament, the Energy Kings get Raymund Tutt as replacement. Tutt scored 56 points in his PBA debut, which still stands today as the highest points scored by a Red Bull player in a single game.
Red Bull Thunder: Championship era
Tutt returned for the Governors Cup, and the renamed Thunder made a strong showing to finish in third place at the end of the tournament, their first trophy in the league. Davonn Harp was named Rookie of the Year at the end of the season.During the 2001 PBA Draft
2001 PBA Draft
The 2001 Philippine Basketball Association Rookie Draft is an event, which will allows teams to draft players from the amateur ranks. It was held on January 14, 2001 at the Glorietta Activity Center at Makati City.-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:...
, Red Bull selected former Letran Knight
Letran Knights
Letran Knights is the name of the varsity basketball team of the Colegio de San Juan de Letran. Letran College is a Roman Catholic institution and the oldest college in the Philippines....
and MBA
Metropolitan Basketball Association
The Metropolitan Basketball Association or Metroball was a professional basketball league in the Philippines founded in 1998.The MBA overtook the Philippine Basketball Association's plans on regionalization when the league adopted a home-and-away format where teams, instead of representing...
star Willie Miller
Willie Miller (basketball player)
Willie V. Miller, Jr. , better known simply as Willie Miller, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barako Bull Energy in the Philippine Basketball Association....
as its first overall pick. Former Letranite Kerby Raymundo was also allowed to return for Red Bull for the upcoming season.
In 2001, Red Bull finished seventh in the All-Filipino Conference and met eventual champion San Miguel Beermen
San Miguel Beermen
The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food...
in the quarterfinals. With the Thunder needing to win twice to advance to the semis, Batang Red Bull shocked the Beermen winning the first game by double-figures, but lost in the deciding game capped off by Danny Seigle
Danny Seigle
Daniel Charles Seigle is a Filipino American professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Barako Bull Energy. A 6'6", 205-lb. swingman, he is fondly called Dynamite Danny and Danny S. by many...
's three-pointer to seal SMB's win.
Former Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
and NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
standout Antonio Lang
Antonio Lang
Antonio Maurice Lang is an American professional basketball player. He played his college basketball at Duke, where he won back-to-back NCAA tournaments in 1991 and 1992.-Basketball career:...
bannered the Thunder in the Commissioner's Cup. After a sub-par performance in the tournament opener, Lang proved to be the right import for Red Bull. The Thunder advanced to their first finals appearance against the mighty San Miguel Beermen
San Miguel Beermen
The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food...
. Red Bull took the first two games of the series behind strong performances by Lang and Harp. The Beermen later tied the series at 2-2 in a physically intense battle that saw several suspensions on the Red Bull side. But in Game five, Red Bull won 79-77 after a potential game-tying basket by San Miguel import Nate Johnson was blocked from behind by Miller with no time left. In Game six, Lang recovered from a four point outing in Game five to lead Red Bull to their first PBA championship. Lang was also named as Best Import of the Commissioners Cup.
In the Governor's Cup, Tutt returned for the team in hopes of claiming back-to-back title, but the Thunder was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Harp was loaned by Red Bull to the national team in 2002. The Thunder was eliminated by eventual champion Purefoods in the quarterfinals.
In the Commissioner's Cup, Harp returned for Batang Red Bull along with Antonio Lang
Antonio Lang
Antonio Maurice Lang is an American professional basketball player. He played his college basketball at Duke, where he won back-to-back NCAA tournaments in 1991 and 1992.-Basketball career:...
and Julius Nwosu
Julius Nwosu
Obinna Julius Nwosu, otherwise referred to as just Julius Nwosu , is a Nigerian professional basketball player. He played briefly for the American National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs during the 1994–95 NBA season...
. The Thunder dominated the tournament, eliminating Shell in the quarterfinals and the Beermen in the semis to face the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals in the finals. Four games into the series, Lang was replaced by another NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
veteran in Sean Lampley
Sean Lampley
Sean Lampley is an American professional basketball player.-College career:Lampley played at the University of California, leading the Golden Bears to victory over Clemson in the 1999 National Invitational Tournament and earning MVP honors...
. Lang was even accused of game-fixing, which he denied. With Lampley, Red Bull overcame a 2-3 deficit to win an emotional Game seven for their second PBA title.
Red Bull's hope for a second title was denied in the All-Filipino as Alaska booted them out in the semis.
In 2003, The Thunder used their first round pick to select 2002 UAAP MVP Enrico Villanueva
Enrico Villanueva
Jose Enrico P. Villanueva , better known simply as Enrico Villanueva, and by the nicknames Raging Bull and E-Vill, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the Philippine Basketball Association...
from Ateneo de Manila
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
to bolster Red Bull's frontline. Red Bull went 10-1 in the early goings of the All-Filipino Cup before finishing with a 14-4 record. However, their 0-3 record in the quarterfinals eliminated them from title contention. The All-Filipino Conference also saw the suspensions of Harp and Torion for testing positive for taking illegal substances.
Batang Red Bull renamed the team as Red Bull Barako for the Invitational tournament. They managed to enter the semis but was defeated by Alaska in a one-game showdown.
After a 1-2 start in the Reinforced Conference, the Barakos hired former Charlotte Hornet
New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets
The New Orleans Hornets are a professional basketball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They play in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association. The franchise began play during the 1988–89 NBA season as the Charlotte Hornets, based in Charlotte,...
and Chicago Bull
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
Scott Burrell
Scott Burrell
Scott David Burrell is an American retired professional basketball player and current assistant coach for Quinnipiac University. He has played internationally and was also a professional baseball player...
as import. Red Bull won 10 games to finish with a 11-2 record entering the quarterfinals. They were upset by Talk 'N Text in the opening round. But the deciding game was marred by a vicious clothesline of Torion on Phone Pals' point guard Jimmy Alapag
Jimmy Alapag
Jim Olmedo Alapag , better known as Jimmy Alapag, is a Filipino-American professional basketball player for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association...
. The incident gave Torion an eight-month suspension, later reduced to only four.
Red Bull made its third Finals appearance in 2004, losing to eventual champion Barangay Ginebra in the transitional tournament dubbed as the 2004 Fiesta Conference
2004 PBA Fiesta Conference
The 2004 PBA Fiesta Conference, or known as the 2004 Gran Matador Brandy-PBA Fiesta Conference for sponsorship reasons, was tournament held by the Philippine Basketball Association and the first ever edition of the PBA Fiesta Conference....
. The Barakos fielded in six imports during the said conference but its last import Victor Thomas won Best Import honors.
During the 2004-05 Philippine Cup, Red Bull was decimated with the departures of alleged Fil-Shams (Filipino-Americans that did not prove their Filipino blood) Mick Pennisi
Mick Pennisi
Michael Alfio Pennisi , better known as Mick Pennisi, is a Filipino-Australian professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Barako Bull Energy. He was automatically hired by Red Bull in 2000...
and Davonn Harp, who were deported after the Department of Justice
Department of Justice (Philippines)
The Department of Justice , abbreviated as DOJ, is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for upholding the rule of law in the Philippines...
found them to have falsified their documents.
But the event paved the way for guys like Tugade, Valenzuela and Enrico Villanueva
Enrico Villanueva
Jose Enrico P. Villanueva , better known simply as Enrico Villanueva, and by the nicknames Raging Bull and E-Vill, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the Philippine Basketball Association...
to shine as Red Bull recovered to place fourth in the 2005 Fiesta Cup. The former Ateneo center won the Most Improved Player honors.
Red Bull Barako: Back-to-back Finals appearances
Red Bull became somewhat of a flashback to the Ateneo Blue EaglesAteneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
squad of UAAP 2002
UAAP Season 63
UAAP Season 63 is the 2000-2001 season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, which was hosted by the University of Santo Tomas. The season opened on July 15, 2000, at the Araneta Coliseum.-Elimination round:Host team in boldface....
when Larry Fonacier
Larry Fonacier
Larry Alexander N. Fonacier is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters...
and Paolo Bugia
Paolo Bugia
Ramon Paolo V. Bugia is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who plays for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. He was drafted seventeenth overall by the Red Bull Barako in the 2005 PBA Draft.In his rookie year, He averaged 4.0 points per game and 2.6 rebounds...
were drafted by the team in the second round of the 2005 PBA Draft
2005 PBA Draft
The 2005 Philippine Basketball Association Rookie Draft is an event, which allows teams to draft players from the amateur ranks. It was the first PBA Draft to feature only two rounds of drafting. It was held on August 14, 2005 at the Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall at Cainta, Rizal.-Round 1:-Round...
in August.
The Bulls won their third PBA title during the 2005-06 Fiesta Conference defeating the Purefoods Chunkee Giants in six games. Enrico Villanueva
Enrico Villanueva
Jose Enrico P. Villanueva , better known simply as Enrico Villanueva, and by the nicknames Raging Bull and E-Vill, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the Philippine Basketball Association...
won the Best Player of the Conference
Philippine Basketball Association Best Player of the Conference Award
The Philippine Basketball Association's Best Player of the Conference Award is given to the best local player at the end of each conference...
honors while Lordy Tugade was named as the Finals MVP.
During their title run, the Bulls replaced import Quemont Greer in place of a more team-oriented James Penny at the start of the quarterfinals. Red Bull swept Alaska in the quarterfinals while surviving a seven-game tussle with crowd-favorite Barangay Ginebra Kings
Barangay Ginebra Kings
The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation...
in the semi-finals.
The championship gave Yeng Guiao his fifth PBA title, tying former Toyota mentor Dante Silverio for sixth on the all-time PBA list.
Before the Philippine Cup, Red Bull acquired the services of another former Atenean, Rich Alvarez, from Alaska. While the Bulls were highly favored to win the title, they started the tournament with a 3-6 record. However, they won six of their final seven games to finish with a 9-7 win-loss card in the classification phase, clinching an outright quarterfinals berth.
Red Bull survived a five-game clash with rival Barangay Ginebra in the quarterfinals. This was after the crowd-favorite Kings led the series 2-1, but the Bulls won the last two games by a combined margin of more than 50 points. The Bulls faced the San Miguel Beermen in the semifinals when controversy struck the Bulls, after they staged a mini-walkout during Game Four of their series. They eventually returned to the court and lost by double figures. This led to a 400,000 peso fine on the team, 100,000 on head coach Yeng Guiao, 6,000 for player Lordy Tugade and 1,000 for a member of the team's personnel.
However, Red Bull managed to beat San Miguel Beer in seven games after a buzzer-beating shot by Junthy Valenzuela to seal a two-point victory for the Bulls, setting up a rematch of the Fiesta Conference finals series against Purefoods
Purefoods Chunkee Giants
The B-Meg Llamados is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association owned by the San Miguel-Purefoods Company, Inc., a company of the San Miguel Corporation...
. The Bulls, though, lost to Purefoods in six games, denying them of a chance to sweep all championships in the 2005-06 season. Larry Fonacier was named as the 2005-06 PBA Rookie of the Year with Villanueva named to the Mythical Five selection.
The Bulls: Semifinal eliminations
The Bulls had only one pick in the 2006 PBA Draft2006 PBA Draft
The 2006 Philippine Basketball Association Rookie Draft is an event, which allows teams to draft players from the amateur ranks. The event was held at Market! Market! in Taguig City on August 20, 2006. The Sta. Lucia Realtors chose Kelly Williams of Oakland University and PBL-Magnolia as the first...
and selected Ateneo shooting guard Magnum Membrere
Magnum Membrere
Benedicto "Magnum" L. Membrere III is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters. He was drafted nineteenth overall by Red Bull in 2006 and played for 4 seasons...
with the 19th overall pick. The move triggered another addition to the team's dominant lineup of former players from the Blue Eagles lineup. In the middle of the elimination round, Red Bull traded 2005-2006 Fiesta Cup Finals MVP Lordy Tugade
Lordy Tugade
Lordy Tugade is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays and recently signed by the Petron Blaze Boosters....
to the San Miguel Beermen
San Miguel Beermen
The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food...
alongside reserve Omanzie Rodriguez in exchange for future draft picks.
The Barakos also added former Shell Turbo Charger
Shell Turbo Chargers
The Shell Turbo Chargers is a former Philippine Basketball Association team under the ownership of Pilipinas Shell Corporation. Shell has been a member of the PBA since 1985 until 2005 when the team filed for a leave of absence after the season. Shell sold its franchise to PBL team Welcoat Paints...
Carlo Sharma
Carlo Sharma
Ram Carlo Sharma is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Petron Blaze Boosters. He was drafted by Shell twelfth overall in 2004....
into their line-up during the off-season. The addition of Sharma gave the Barakos, who only has main man Enrico Villanueva
Enrico Villanueva
Jose Enrico P. Villanueva , better known simply as Enrico Villanueva, and by the nicknames Raging Bull and E-Vill, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the Philippine Basketball Association...
as its legitimate low-post threat, additional ceiling and inside presence.
In the Philippine Cup, Red Bull placed third after the elimination round with a 11-7 win-loss card and an outright quarterfinals berth in which they defeated the Sta. Lucia Realtors
Sta. Lucia Realtors
The Sta. Lucia Realtors was a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association.The Universal Robina Corporation team is one of the founding members of the PBA. Formerly known as Great Taste and Presto-Tivoli Ice Cream, they have won a total of 6 championships. Sta...
, 3-1. In the semifinals, Red Bull lost against the San Miguel in seven games that highlighted by several physical encounters by both teams during the series.
Red Bull gained the top seed in the Fiesta Conference but dealt Enrico Villanueva
Enrico Villanueva
Jose Enrico P. Villanueva , better known simply as Enrico Villanueva, and by the nicknames Raging Bull and E-Vill, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the Philippine Basketball Association...
to San Miguel Beermen
San Miguel Beermen
The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food...
for Rommel Adducul
Rommel Adducul
Romel Adducul is a professional basketball player from the Philippines who currently plays in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Powerade Tigers....
. The former MBA MVP was later shipped to the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants and exchange for Don Camaso
Don Camaso
Celedon Camaso better known as Don Camaso is a professional basketball player in the Asean Basketball League currently playing as an import for the Satria Muda BritAma. He previously played for numerous teams in the Philippine Basketball Association, the most recent being Red Bull Barako...
and a second round draft pick at the 2008 PBA Draft
2008 PBA Draft
The 2008 Philippine Basketball Association Rookie Draft is an event, which will allows teams to draft players from the amateur ranks. The event is set to be held at Market! Market! in Taguig City on August 31, 2008. The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters selected Gabe Norwood of the George Mason...
. Despite the strong performance of Larry Fonacier
Larry Fonacier
Larry Alexander N. Fonacier is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters...
and the emergence of Cyrus Baguio
Cyrus Baguio
Cyrus Baguio is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Alaska Aces. He is a former stalwart of the UST Growling Tigers during his college tenure with the team. The former UST star was known for his open court forays and one-on-one skills...
, Red Bull lost to Talk 'N Text led by the strong performance of Mark Cardona in a six-game series.
With Red Bull debuting an updated version of their logo on 2007, the Barakos continued their semifinal qualification streak, finishing fourth in the eliminations of the 2007-08 PBA Philippine Cup
2007-08 PBA Philippine Cup
The 2007-08 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup or known as the 2007-08 Smart PBA Philippine Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the first conference of the 2007-08 PBA season. The tournament was formally opened on October 14, 2007 and ended on March 2, 2008...
and sweeping the Magnolia Beverage Masters
San Miguel Beermen
The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food...
in the quarterfinals meeting 2005-06 rival Purefoods in the semifinals. The Bulls extended the series to seven games after trading games with Purefoods, but the TJ Giants pulled away in the deciding game to eliminate Red Bull in contention for the third straight time.
Although the Barakos posted an identical 11–7 card in the 2008 Fiesta Conference
2008 PBA Fiesta Conference
The 2008 Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference or known as the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference for sponsorship reasons, is the last conference of the 2007-08 PBA season. The tournament began on March 29 with a game between the Coca-Cola Tigers and the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals at...
, they managed to finish second to earn themselves a seventh-consecutive semifinals appearance. With Mexico national basketball team
Mexico national basketball team
The Mexico national basketball team is the side that represents Mexico in men's international basketball competitions. The governing body of the team is the Asociación Deportiva Mexicana de Baloncesto – abbrev...
mainstay Adam Parada
Adam Parada
Adam Parada is a Mexican professional basketball player who recently played as an import in the PBA for the Red Bull Barako. He played four years at the University of California, Irvine. Parada was not drafted by any team in the 2004 NBA Draft. He is a many time Mexican national team...
as their import, Red Bull faced the rampaging Barangay Ginebra Kings
Barangay Ginebra Kings
The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation...
with an 6-game winning streak in the semifinals. Adam Parada played through injury but the Kings swept the Barakos in the semifinals to eliminate the Barakos anew.
Prior to the 2008-09 season, they lost Mick Pennisi
Mick Pennisi
Michael Alfio Pennisi , better known as Mick Pennisi, is a Filipino-Australian professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Barako Bull Energy. He was automatically hired by Red Bull in 2000...
who went to San Miguel Beermen
San Miguel Beermen
The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food...
and Topex Robinson
Topex Robinson
Michael Christoper Robinson is a former Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association. He was drafted forty-fourth overall by the Tanduay Rhum Masters.- Player Profile :Robinson is a solid and a defensive point guard...
who went to Purefoods TJ Giants and got rookies Larry Rodriguez, Jeffrei Chan
Jeffrei Chan
Jeffrei Allan Chan is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters...
, and Mark Cuevas. Disaster was booming around the franchise as they lost key players such as Rich Alvarez
Rich Alvarez
Richard D. "Rich" Alvarez is a Filipino professional basketball player and currently playing for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters of the Philippine Basketball Association. Alvarez was the first overall pick of 2004 PBA Draft by the Shell Turbo Chargers...
and Cyrus Baguio
Cyrus Baguio
Cyrus Baguio is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Alaska Aces. He is a former stalwart of the UST Growling Tigers during his college tenure with the team. The former UST star was known for his open court forays and one-on-one skills...
. But there are also some players who went to Red Bull and started a new beginning like Gabby Espinas
Gabby Espinas
Gabriel Espinas is a Filipino professional basketball player currently playing for the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association. He was born of an African-American father, who was once stationed in Subic but died when Gabby was only five years old, and a Filipina mother...
from Air21 Express and Mike Holper from Barangay Ginebra Kings
Barangay Ginebra Kings
The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation...
. They only won 5 out of 18 outings. Due to this, they were rumored as about to be disbanded which caused Yeng Guiao
Yeng Guiao
Joseller "Yeng" Guiao is a Filipino professional basketball head coach for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippine Basketball Association, and was also the head coach of the Philippine National Basketball Team. Guiao won four PBA titles since starting his head coaching job for Swift in...
to resign as head coach during late December.
Barako Bull Energy Boosters: Leo Isaac at the helm
The newly-christened Barako Bull Energy Boosters, with team manager Andy Jao, hired former PBAPhilippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
Rookie of the Year
Philippine Basketball Association Rookie of the Year award
-List of awardees:...
Leo Isaac
Leo Isaac
Leandro Isaac is a retired basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association. He is the former head coach of the Barako Bull Energy Boosters in the PBA...
as its new head coach with Ariel Vanguardia of the JRU Heavy Bombers
JRU Heavy Bombers
The JRU Heavy Bombers are the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball team of the Jose Rizal University.They currently have the longest championship drought in the NCAA with 38 title-less seasons....
and former Philippines women's national basketball team
Philippines women's national basketball team
The women's national basketball team of the Philippines represents the country in women's FIBA tournaments.-Asian championships:-Asian Games:-Southeast Asian championships:-Southeast Asian Games:-Current roster:...
coach Raymond Celis as chief lieutenants. They also signed new recruits Alex Crisano
Alex Crisano
Alex Vincent Crisano , is a Filipino-American rapper and professional basketball player who currently plays for the Powerade Tigers in the Philippine Basketball Association. He played for the Philippine Patriots from 2010-2011.-First Years:He was directly hired by the Barangay Ginebra Kings in 2000...
and John Arigo
John Arigo
John Hartley Ward Arigo , in Charleston, South Carolina, is a Filipino-American former professional basketball player for three teams in the Philippine Basketball Association. He was drafted 5th overall by the Alaska Aces in January of 2001 while in his senior year of playing NCAA Division II...
.
Despite the new name, coach, signings and image, the team floundered in the import-laden 2009 Fiesta Conference
2009 PBA Fiesta Conference
The 2009 Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference or known as the 2009 Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference for sponsorship reasons, is the last conference of the 2008-09 PBA season. It started on February 28 and finished on July 17...
, mustering only two out of 14 wins, although one of those came from Philippine Cup champions Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters where the Energy Boosters rallied down by more than 20 points to win in overtime. They were eliminated in the wildcard phase by former doormats Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
Burger King
Air21 Express
The Barako Bull Energy is a Philippine Basketball Association team that began in 2002.Barako Bull is owned by Energy Food and Drinks Inc., a subsidiary of the Linaheim Corporate Services, owners of the defunct Laguna Lakers of the Metropolitan Basketball Association...
and Barako Bull beat the trade deadline and agreed in a trade between Carlo Sharma
Carlo Sharma
Ram Carlo Sharma is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Petron Blaze Boosters. He was drafted by Shell twelfth overall in 2004....
and Richard Alonzo
Richard Alonzo
Richard Hernando Alonzo, better known simply as Chad Alonzo, is a Filipino professional basketball player who last played for the Barako Bull Energy Boosters in the Philippine Basketball Association....
.
Team manager Tony Chua
Tony Chua
Antonio "Tony" Chua was a Filipino Chinese businessman. His family owns Photokina Marketing Corporation, which distributed Red Bull in the Philippines; he managed and was the governor of the Barako Bull Energy Boosters, the company's team in the Philippine Basketball Association in which he...
perished at the height of Tropical Storm Ketsana
Typhoon Ketsana (2009)
Typhoon Ketsana was the most devastating typhoon in the 2009 Pacific typhoon season with a damage of $1.09 billion and 747 fatalities. The storm was the twenty-seventh tropical storm, eighth typhoon and the second major typhoon in the season...
on September 26, 2009.
Philippine Cup
At the start of the 2010-11 season, they hired Junel Baculi as the new head coach of the Barako Bull. The team was involved with several trades during off season with Barangay GinebraBarangay Ginebra Kings
The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation...
, Powerade, and new team Meralco
Meralco Bolts
The Meralco Bolts is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 2010 when the Manila Electric Company bought the Sta...
, acquiring Sunday Salvacion
Sunday Salvacion
Sunday Salvacion is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association currently playing for the Barako Bull Energy...
, Jason Misolas
Jason Misolas
Jason Misolas is a Filipino professional basketball player who last played for the Barako Bull Energy Boosters in the Philippine Basketball Association.- References :...
, Khazim Mirza, and Ken Bono
Ken Bono
Karl Kenneth O. Bono , better known as Ken Bono, is a Filipino basketball player, selected sixth overall by the Alaska Aces in the 2007 PBA Draft...
. The Energy Boosters picked Borgie Hermida
Borgie Hermida
John Carlos Hermida better known as "Borgie Hermida" is a Filipino professional basketball player who currently plays for the Shopinas.com Clickers in the Philippine Basketball Association. He was drafted 17th overall in 2010 by the Barako Bull Energy Boosters...
in the year's rookie draft. In the first weeks of the Philippine Cup, they signed undrafted rookie Hans Thiele
Hans Thiele
Hans Paul Thiele is a Filipino professional basketball player who is currently placed on the inactive list of the Alaska Aces in the Philippine Basketball Association. He was signed by the Energy Boosters in 2010 as a free agent. He was then traded to the Meralco Bolts for Dennis Daa...
and eventually became the team's top scorer together with Salvacion. After a month with the team, Thiele was shipped to Meralco, in exchange for the team's 2013 2nd round pick and Dennis Daa
Dennis Daa
Dennis Daa is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Shopinas.com Clickers. He was acquired by the Sta. Lucia Realtors in 2007 through free agency. In 2010, he was traded to the Energy Boosters in exchange for undrafted rookie...
.
After the Energy Boosters finished 3-11 in the Philippine Cup, the team got involved on trades that shipped their core players Reed Juntilla
Reed Juntilla
Reed Juntilla is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who is currently on the inactive list of the Barako Bull Energy.-Player profile:...
, Sunday Salvacion
Sunday Salvacion
Sunday Salvacion is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association currently playing for the Barako Bull Energy...
and Mark Isip
Mark Isip
Mark Gracer Isip is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Meralco Bolts. He was drafted sixth overall by Sta. Lucia in 2006...
on different teams.
Leave of absence
In January 20, 2011, the management of the Energy Boosters announced that they will take a leave of absence for the upcoming Commissioner's Cup2011 PBA Commissioner's Cup
-Air21-Alaska series:-Talk 'N Text-Air21 series:-Smart Gilas-Barangay Ginebra series:-Finals:- Imports :The following is the list of imports, which had played for their respective teams at least once, with the returning imports in italics...
to make way for the Smart Gilas
Smart Gilas
Smart Gilas Pilipinas is a developmental Philippine national basketball team sponsored by Smart Communications and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas...
Philippine national team. The application was eventually approved during the team owners meeting on January 24. The players of the squad will be put on a conditional dispersal draft on February 7, then after the Commissioner's Cup is finished, all of these players will return to Barako Bull, if the team will eventually return. The owners announced on March 20 that they do not intend to return to the season-ending Governors Cup. In a letter sent to PBA Commissioner Chito Salud
Chito Salud
Angelico T. Salud, better known as Chito Salud is the eight and current commissioner of the Philippine Basketball Association. He is the son of Rudy Salud, who was also a commissioner of the PBA from 1988 to 1992....
, the owners of the Barako Bull franchise mentioned their ongoing legal battle against TC Pharmaceuticals Industries, Co. the manufacturer of Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
in Thailand, and the death of one of their owners, Tony Chua
Tony Chua
Antonio "Tony" Chua was a Filipino Chinese businessman. His family owns Photokina Marketing Corporation, which distributed Red Bull in the Philippines; he managed and was the governor of the Barako Bull Energy Boosters, the company's team in the Philippine Basketball Association in which he...
during the onslaught of Typhoon Ketsana in 2009 as the main reasons why they will leave the PBA.
Financial problems
Barako Bull was in the financial binge since 2009 after team management admitted that they are having difficulties in making the payroll of the team. The team even requested for a co-sponsorship with Harbour CentreHarbour Centre
Harbour Centre is a notable skyscraper in the central business district of Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The "Lookout" tower atop the office building makes it one of the tallest structures in Vancouver and a prominent landmark on the city's skyline...
for the duration of the 2010 Fiesta Conference
2010 PBA Fiesta Conference
The 2010 Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference, is the last conference of the 2009-10 PBA season. It started on March 21 and finished on August 18, 2010...
to ease their financial difficulties. Alex Crisano
Alex Crisano
Alex Vincent Crisano , is a Filipino-American rapper and professional basketball player who currently plays for the Powerade Tigers in the Philippine Basketball Association. He played for the Philippine Patriots from 2010-2011.-First Years:He was directly hired by the Barangay Ginebra Kings in 2000...
and John Arigo
John Arigo
John Hartley Ward Arigo , in Charleston, South Carolina, is a Filipino-American former professional basketball player for three teams in the Philippine Basketball Association. He was drafted 5th overall by the Alaska Aces in January of 2001 while in his senior year of playing NCAA Division II...
even escalated the issue regarding their delayed salaries to then Commissioner Sonny Barrios
Sonny Barrios
Renauld N. Barrios, better known as Sonny Barrios, is the seventh commissioner of the Philippine Basketball Association. Before serving as the commissioner, he became the officer in charge of the league on August 2007 when his predecessor Noli Eala resigned from his office after being disbarred by...
. After Crisano went public with his accusations, team management did not renew his contract after the 2009-10 season ended and had difficulty in getting his back pay. Current members also expressed their grievances that their salary and their bonuses were not yet paid since December 2010, with some players as late as August 2010.
Commissioner Chito Salud gave guidelines to Barako Bull for them to pay their standing obligations with the team members in lump sum.
Attempted sale to Phoenix Petroleum
On March 2011, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc.Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc.
Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc. is the first independent oil company to be listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange after the Oil Deregulation Law was passed in 1998...
, a petroleum company from the Visayas-Mindanao area expressed interest in acquiring the Barako Bull franchise. For the sale to push through, an approval from the PBA Board of Governors is needed (7 out of 10 votes). However, the sale did not push through after Barako Bull failed to get the necessary number of votes. Reportedly, the San Miguel Corporation
San Miguel Corporation
Established in 1890 as a brewery, San Miguel Corporation is Southeast Asia's largest publicly listed food, beverage and packaging company with over 17,000 employees in over 100 major facilities throughout the Asia-Pacific....
, which owns three teams (San Miguel, Barangay Ginebra and B-Meg Derby Ace) in the league shows concerns should the sale will push through, since they also own a petroleum company, Petron Corporation
Petron Corporation
Petron Corporation is the largest oil refining and marketing company in the Philippines, supplying more than a third of the country’s oil requirements....
, which is a direct competitor of Phoenix Petroleum . One of the SMC teams, the San Miguel Beermen
San Miguel Beermen
The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food...
, was renamed to Petron Blaze Boosters before the start of the Governors Cup
2011 PBA Governors Cup
- Imports :The following is the list of imports, which had played for their respective teams at least once, with the returning imports in italics. Highlighted are the imports who stayed with their respective teams for the entire conference....
.
Sale of franchise to Lina Group
Another buyer, the Lina Group of Companies, which also owns the Air21 ExpressAir21 Express
The Barako Bull Energy is a Philippine Basketball Association team that began in 2002.Barako Bull is owned by Energy Food and Drinks Inc., a subsidiary of the Linaheim Corporate Services, owners of the defunct Laguna Lakers of the Metropolitan Basketball Association...
, announced that they intend to buy the struggling franchise for more than P50 million after the Board of Governors gave Barako Bull until the end of the 2010-11 season to sell its franchise otherwise, they would lose the franchise.. The sale was eventually approved by the board on July 8. The team will be renamed as Shopinas.com Clickers
Shopinas.com Clickers
The Shopinas.com Clickers is a Philippine Basketball Association team that debuted on the 2011–12 PBA season.-Sale of the Barako Bull franchise:...
.
Final roster
This was the final roster used by the franchise:Season-by-season records
- Records from the last 3 seasons:
*one-game playoffsSeason |Conference | Elim./Clas. round | Playoffs Finish W L % Stage Results Red Bull Barako 2007-2008 2007-08 PBA seasonThe 2007-08 PBA Season was the 33rd season of the Philippine Basketball Association. The season was formally opened on October 14, 2007 at the Araneta Coliseum...
Fiesta Conference 2008 PBA Fiesta ConferenceThe 2008 Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference or known as the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference for sponsorship reasons, is the last conference of the 2007-08 PBA season. The tournament began on March 29 with a game between the Coca-Cola Tigers and the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals at...
2nd 11 7 .611 Semifinals
3rd-place playoffBarangay Ginebra Barangay Ginebra KingsThe Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation...
4, Red Bull 0
Red Bull 102, MagnoliaSan Miguel BeermenThe Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food...
90*2008-2009 Philippine Cup 10th 5 13 .278 Did not qualify Barako Bull Energy Boosters 2008-2009 Fiesta Conference 2009 PBA Fiesta ConferenceThe 2009 Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference or known as the 2009 Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference for sponsorship reasons, is the last conference of the 2008-09 PBA season. It started on February 28 and finished on July 17...
10th 2 12 .143 Wildcard phase Rain or Shine** 96, Barako Bull 88 2009-2010 Philippine Cup 10th 3 15 .167 Did not qualify Fiesta Conference 2010 PBA Fiesta ConferenceThe 2010 Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference, is the last conference of the 2009-10 PBA season. It started on March 21 and finished on August 18, 2010...
10th 3 15 .167 Did not qualify 2010-2011 Philippine Cup 10th 3 11 .214 Did not qualify Elimination/classification round 27 73 .270 | 3 post-wildcard appearances Playoffs 4 8 .333 | 0 championships
**team had twice to beat advantage
PBA's 25th anniversary all-time team
- Ato AgustinAto AgustinRenato Agustin , better known as Ato "The Atom Bomb" Agustin, is a former Filipino professional basketball player. He played college ball for the Lyceum of the Philippines, before moving on to play professional basketball in the Philippine Basketball Association.Agustin is a former Most Valuable...
- one of the selected players from the expansion draft in 2000; played for Red Bull from 2000–2001 - Vergel MenesesVergel MenesesVergel Meneses - nicknamed "The Aerial Voyager" - is a retired Filipino professional basketball player who last played for the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals in the Philippine Basketball Association. He was also a former PBA Most Valuable Player and a many-time member of the Philippine National team...
- played for Red Bull in the 2004-05 season
Other notable players
- Nelson AsaytonoNelson AsaytonoNelson Asaytono is a retired professional basketball player of the Philippine Basketball Association, also known as "The Bull" for his monster dunks...
- played for Red Bull from 2002–2006 - Lowell Briones - played in 2001 for the team
- Glenn Capacio - selected from the expansion draft in 2000; played in the 2000 season. Current Head Coach of the FEU Tamaraws in the UAAP
- Davonn Harp - selected from the PBL squad; played for team from 2000-2004 before leaving the country due to citizenship issues
- Noli LocsinNoli LocsinManuel Luis Locsin , better known as Noli Locsin, is a retired Filipino professional basketball player. He spent most of his career for the Ginebra San Miguel franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association...
- played for Red Bull in 2002 - Vince Hizon - played from 2001–2004
- Willie MillerWillie Miller (basketball player)Willie V. Miller, Jr. , better known simply as Willie Miller, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barako Bull Energy in the Philippine Basketball Association....
- the first player to be selected first overall in the draft by franchise history; played from 2001–2003 and won the 2002 PBA Most Valuable Player Award. - Kerby RaymundoKerby RaymundoKerby Mariano Raymundo is a Filipino professional basketball player currently playing for the B-Meg Llamados in the Philippine Basketball Association...
- selected from the PBL squad; played for the team from 2000-2002. - Lordy TugadeLordy TugadeLordy Tugade is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays and recently signed by the Petron Blaze Boosters....
- part of the 2005-06 Fiesta Conference champion team where he was awarded the Finals MVP. - Jimwell Torion - selected from the PBL squad; played for team from 2000–2006
- Enrico VillanuevaEnrico VillanuevaJose Enrico P. Villanueva , better known simply as Enrico Villanueva, and by the nicknames Raging Bull and E-Vill, is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the Philippine Basketball Association...
- played for team from 2003–2007; won Best Player of the Conference and Most Improved player honors during his Red Bull stint. - Larry FonacierLarry FonacierLarry Alexander N. Fonacier is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters...
- played for team from 2005–2007 and was the 2005-2006 Rookie of the Year. - Junthy ValenzuelaJunthy ValenzuelaJunthy Valenzuela is a Filipino basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association, a former Red Bull Barako player who last played for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
- played from 2000–2008 - Mick PennisiMick PennisiMichael Alfio Pennisi , better known as Mick Pennisi, is a Filipino-Australian professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Barako Bull Energy. He was automatically hired by Red Bull in 2000...
- played from 2000–2008; the last player from the original lineup to play for the team before being traded. - Rich AlvarezRich AlvarezRichard D. "Rich" Alvarez is a Filipino professional basketball player and currently playing for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters of the Philippine Basketball Association. Alvarez was the first overall pick of 2004 PBA Draft by the Shell Turbo Chargers...
- played from 2005–2008 - Cyrus BaguioCyrus BaguioCyrus Baguio is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Alaska Aces. He is a former stalwart of the UST Growling Tigers during his college tenure with the team. The former UST star was known for his open court forays and one-on-one skills...
- played from 2003–2008 - Celino CruzCelino CruzCelino Cruz is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Powerade Tigers. He was drafted by the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals nineteenth overall in 2002....
- played from 2003–2008 - Carlo SharmaCarlo SharmaRam Carlo Sharma is a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Petron Blaze Boosters. He was drafted by Shell twelfth overall in 2004....
- played from 2005–2009
Imports
- Thaddeus Delaney - franchise's first-ever import in the 2000 Commissioners Cup
- Jack Hartmann - import in the 2000 Commissioners Cup
- Raymund Tutt - played for Red Bull in 2000 and 2001 seasons; holds franchise record of 56 points in one game
- Antonio LangAntonio LangAntonio Maurice Lang is an American professional basketball player. He played his college basketball at Duke, where he won back-to-back NCAA tournaments in 1991 and 1992.-Basketball career:...
- played for Red Bull in 2001 and 2002 seasons; led Red Bull to the 2001 Commissioners Cup titles and was named as the Best Import of the said tournament - Joseph BunnJoseph BunnJoseph Ray Bunn Stallins is an American professional basketball player.- Player career :*1994/95 North Carolina A&T Aggies*1995/96 Old Dominion Monarchs*1997/98 Phillips University*1998/99 Alicante*1999/00 Caprabo Lleida...
- played for Red Bull in 2002 - Julius NwosuJulius NwosuObinna Julius Nwosu, otherwise referred to as just Julius Nwosu , is a Nigerian professional basketball player. He played briefly for the American National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs during the 1994–95 NBA season...
- played for Red Bull in 2002; led the team to the 2002 Commissioners Cup title - Sean LampleySean LampleySean Lampley is an American professional basketball player.-College career:Lampley played at the University of California, leading the Golden Bears to victory over Clemson in the 1999 National Invitational Tournament and earning MVP honors...
- played for Red Bull in 2002 - Scott BurrellScott BurrellScott David Burrell is an American retired professional basketball player and current assistant coach for Quinnipiac University. He has played internationally and was also a professional baseball player...
- played for Red Bull in 2003; led the team to 10th straight wins upon his arrival - Victor Thomas - played for Red Bull in 2004; named Best Import of the 2004 Fiesta Conference
- Dalron Johnson - played for Red Bull in the 2005 Fiesta Conference
- Earl BarronEarl BarronEarl Daniel Barron, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association.-Career:...
- played for Red Bull in the 2005 Fiesta Conference before joining the Miami HeatMiami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
in the 2005-06 season - Quemont Greer - played for Red Bull in the 2005-06 Fiesta Conference
- James PennyJames PennyJames Penny was a merchant, slaveship owner and prominent anti-abolitionist in Liverpool, England. He defended the slave trade to the British Parliament. Penny Lane in Liverpool, later immortalized by The Beatles, was named after him.-Early life:...
- replaced Greer in the 2005-06 Fiesta Conference, led the team to the title - Adam ParadaAdam ParadaAdam Parada is a Mexican professional basketball player who recently played as an import in the PBA for the Red Bull Barako. He played four years at the University of California, Irvine. Parada was not drafted by any team in the 2004 NBA Draft. He is a many time Mexican national team...
- played for Red Bull in the 2008 PBA Fiesta Conference2008 PBA Fiesta ConferenceThe 2008 Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference or known as the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference for sponsorship reasons, is the last conference of the 2007-08 PBA season. The tournament began on March 29 with a game between the Coca-Cola Tigers and the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals at... - Cornelius McFadgon - played for Barako Bull in the 2009 PBA Fiesta Conference2009 PBA Fiesta ConferenceThe 2009 Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference or known as the 2009 Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference for sponsorship reasons, is the last conference of the 2008-09 PBA season. It started on February 28 and finished on July 17...
- Sammy Monroe - played for Barako Coffee in the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference2010 PBA Fiesta ConferenceThe 2010 Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference, is the last conference of the 2009-10 PBA season. It started on March 21 and finished on August 18, 2010...