Three-time MVP Bogs Adornado and the former Houston Rockets draftee and naturalized filipino Ricardo Brown was signed by Great Taste (formerly N-Rich) in a pair of player deals.
In their maiden appearance in the All-Filipino Conference, Adornado and Brown combined for identical outputs of 22 points each in helping Great Taste escape with a 93–92 opening day win over San Miguel Beer.
Going up against Crispa's prolific import Billy Ray Bates, the Coffee Makers led the best-of-five title series, two games to one and a win away from their first-ever PBA crown.
[2] On November 26, Great Taste defeated Gilbey's Gin and Crispa prevailed over San Miguel Beer in the second game to set-up a finals rematch for the Open Conference crown.
Former Crispa coach Baby Dalupan, who was hired as team consultant during the second conference, has taken over to replaced Mariano on the Great Taste bench starting the semifinal round.