2002 FedEx Express season

The 2002 FedEx Express season was the first season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

2002 FedEx Express season
Head coach	Derrick Pumaren
Governor's Cup results
Record	6–6 (.500)
Place	5th seed
Playoff finish	QF (lost to Alaska)
Commissioner's Cup results
Record	7–5 (.583)
Place	6th seed
Playoff finish	QF (lost to Alaska)
All-Filipino Cup results
Record	1–8 (.111)
Place	N/A
Playoff finish	N/A
FedEx Express seasons

Draft picks

New team

FEDEX-Airfreight 2100 buy out the Tanduay Rhum franchise before the 2002 PBA season started. Team Owner Bert Lina, emphasizing that his company is the biggest courier company in the world, aims to make a big splash in its initial season. [1] The newest ballclub absorbed four players from the defunct Tanduay and went for the biggest catch by choosing 6-8 Yancy De Ocampo from the multi-titled PBL ballclub Welcoat House Paints as the number one overall pick in the 2002 PBA draft. FedEx also took in De Ocampo's Welcoat teammate Renren Ritualo at eight overall. Coach Derrick Pumaren, who was the last coach of Tanduay Rhum Masters, will handle the coaching job for FedEx.

Transactions

Players Added Via Draft Yancy De Ocampo Renren Ritualo Via Free Agency Paul Alvarez (From the MBA) Gido Babilonia (From Talk 'N Text Phone Pals) Ryan Bernardo (Drafted by Mobiline last year) Egay Billones (Drafted by Ginebra in 2000) Danny Capobres (Pick by Talk 'N Text in the rookie draft) Jerry Codiñera (From Talk 'N Text Phone Pals) Biboy Simon (From the MBA) Via Trade Vergel Meneses (From Barangay Ginebra Kings in July 2002; exchange for future picks)

Occurrences

Former Tanduay forward Bong Hawkins was among those absorbed by FedEx during the off-season, but a controversy sparked when Hawkins wanted to have the same terms of the salary he had with Tanduay while the FedEx management wanted to negotiate a new contract.

Roster

FedEx Express roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. G 3 Billones, Egay 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Las Piñas College C 5 Babilonia, Gido 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) UST F 8 Meneses, Vergel (A) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Jose Rizal University G 10 Pumaren, Dindo 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) De La Salle G 14 Ritualo, Renren 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) De La Salle F/C 18 De Ocampo, Yancy 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) Saint Francis College G 19 Arboleda, Wynne 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) MLQU F 21 Friedhof, David 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) F 23 Alvarez, Paul (M) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) San Sebastian G 26 Simon, Biboy 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) University of Manila F 31 Bernardo, Ryan 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) UST F Capobres, Danny 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Lyceum C 41 Realubit, Zaldy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) San Jose-Recoletos F/C 44 Codinera, Jerry 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) UE F/C Moore, Tim (G) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) University of Houston F Rhodes, Rodrick (G) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Southern California F 2 Walker, Jermaine (G/C) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) University of Miami G 21 Robinson, Jeremy (C) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) F/C Pierre-Louis, Frantz (C) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) Wagner College	Head coach Derrick Pumaren Assistant coach(es) Gee Abanilla Legend (C) Team captain (G) Governor's Cup import (C) Commissioner's Cup import (A) Acquired (M) Moved to TNT Injured

Elimination round

Games won

Date	Opponent	Score	Top scorer	Venue (Location)
February 23	Shell	70-64	Jermaine Walker (17 pts)	Cuneta Astrodome
March 1	Sta.Lucia	93-83	Tim Moore (29 pts)	Caruncho Gym (Pasig City) [2]
March 10	Alaska	83-69	Tim Moore (28 pts)	Ynares Center
March 23	Brgy.Ginebra	79-78		Ynares Center
April 5	Purefoods	89-75		Ynares Center
April 11	RP-Hapee	75-71	Jermaine Walker (37 pts)	Makati Coliseum
June 29	Shell	93-84	Jermaine Walker (35 pts)	Cuneta Astrodome
July 13	RP-Selecta	94-87	Jermaine Walker (27 pts)	Cuneta Astrodome [3]
July 25	Purefoods	85-76	Jermaine Walker (32 pts)	Caruncho Gym (Pasig City)
August 2	Sta.Lucia	92-90	Frantz Pierre-Louis (31 pts)	Philsports Arena
August 6	Red Bull	92-90	Jermaine Walker (31 pts)	Philsports Arena [4]
August 10	Brgy.Ginebra	107-91		Philsports Arena
November 23	Sta.Lucia	90-83	Vergel Meneses (22 pts)	Cuneta Astrodome

  Governor's Cup
  Commissioner's Cup
  All-Filipino Cup

References

1. "Lina group newest PBA member". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
2. "FedEx rips Sta.Lucia". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
3. "FedEx upends Selecta-RP". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
4. "Imports keys Express victory over Thunder". Philippine Daily Inquirer.