After a two-conference leave, the San Miguel Corporation decided to return in the PBA Third Conference.
The ballclub acquired eight players from the fabled Northern Consolidated (NCC) quintet, they are Samboy Lim, Hector Calma, Yves Dignadice, Elmer Reyes, Franz Pumaren, Pido Jarencio, Alfie Almario and Tonichi Yturri, who were all members of the national team that won the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) championships in Kuala Lumpur earlier in the year.
They were joined by Jeffrey Graves and Alvin Teng, who were two players elevated from their farm team Magnolia Ice Cream in the PABL as 10 rookies will debut in the league's final conference of the season.
Magnolia scored their first victory against Alaska, 123–110 on October 7, with new import Bernard Title playing his first game, replacing Don Collins as Rufus Harris’ partner.
The Cheese Makers lost their next seven matches but bowed out with a 121–116 upset win over skidding Formula Shell in their last game on November 9.