Game 2: Crispa 143, Toyota 139 (June 8, 1975)

Crispa blew a comfortable lead in regulation but beat Toyota for the second time in the 1975 first conference despite the presence of Comets import Byron "Snake" Jones.

Crispa repeats over Toyota

By Ding Marcelo
Bulletin Today
Published Monday June 9, 1975

Crispa-Floro rose from the crackling pressure of an overtime period last night as it reasserted its supremacy over American-reinforced Toyota, 143-139, in a classic Philippine Basketball Association thriller at the packed Araneta Coliseum.

Denied of a certain victory when the Comets erased a nine-point deficit. 121-130, in the last 90 seconds of regulation, the Redmanizers came back with full fury in the five-minute extension by closing with a 12-8 barrage to register their 11th victory in 15 outings and their second over the Comets.


Completely overshadowed by Crispa's scintillating triumph was Royal Tru-Orange's formal entry into the four-team semifinals by routing Carrier, 119-103, in the first game of the twinbill.

Coach Valentin Eduque placed the game under protest which observers feel may never progress.

Ace gunner William Adornado accounted for eight of Crispa's final 12 points, but it was the cool  and unperturbed Johnny Revilla who presided over the great Redmanizer comeback.

Revilla, whose pot belly belies his ballhandling dexterity, suppressed the Toyota uprising by adrontly setting up his teammates and at the same time neutralizing the towering Byron "Snake" Jones with an effective double-team resulting in two quick turnovers in the final three minutes.

It could have been a night for Jones, Toyota's 6-8 American import who struck venom into the Crispa defense with 43 points.

But the rigors of the extended game told on the American behemoth and during the waning minutes of the struggle, Jones could hardly move with agility while his Filipino rivals soared with impunity.

Philip Cezar shared the limelight with Alberto Guidaben, both trying to desperately stop the high-jumping Jones early in the game without success before coming back in the extension to rout the American.

Bernard Fabiosa, who delighted the record 25,000 spectators with his perseverance, fell into disgrace when he committed hus team's last two errors that enabled Toyota to equalize at 133-all.

Previous to this, his wizardry netted him two steals off Francis Arnaiz, but it was Arnaiz who redeemed himself from that humihilation by intercepting once and forcing Fabiosa into a stepping error that set Robert Jaworski and Cristino Reynoso for the deadlock.

The game was decided on who melted under awesome pressure. And thouh the Redmanizers seemed to have cracked from the pressure when they lost that nine-point lead, the Comets, in the end, proved unable to withstand the pressure.

So tense, in fact, was the contedst that the packed stands were not spared of the suspense and at least three fistfights were recorded.

Earlier, the Redmanizers zoomed omniously to a 19-point advantage, 50-31, before allowing the Comets to close to within 10 points at the end of the second quarter, 71-61.

The individual scores:

Second Game

Crispa - 143
Adornado 35
Co 24
Soriano 16
Franco 15
Guidaben 15
Cezar 13
Fabiosa 13
Hubalde 6
Revilla 6

Toyota - 139
Jones 43
Arnaiz 22
Jaworski 22
C. Reynoso 17
Segura 13
Fernandez 10
Bauzon 6
Rojas 6
A. Reynoso 0

Crispa  42  29  30  30  12  -  143
Toyota  26  35  25  45  8  -   139