Game 8: Toyota 117, Crispa 94 (July 31, 1975)

Toyota became the PBA's first champion after a convincing victory over Crispa in Game 4 of the 1975 First Conference finals. A 29-point performance by Ompong Segura and another strong showing by Byron "Snake" Jones allowed the Comets to win the best-of-five series, 3-1.

Toyota drubs Crispa, wins PBA crown

By Ding Marcelo
Bulletin Today
Published Friday August 1, 1975

Toyota, working like a mechanical monster of destruction, blasted Crispa mercilessly last night, 117-94, to win the Philippine Basketball Association first conference championship before a crowd of some 30,000 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Playing their usual swarming, sticky defense, and gifted with an unusual high percentage in their offense, the Comets ran down the Redmanizers who battled grimly but folded uncharacteristically when Toyota unleashed a crippling attack in the third quarter.

Not since Crispa became a first rate team in the old MICAA in the late 60s had it been beaten so convincingly and by such a margin in a championship game. So complete, in fact, was the rout, that the trauma of the loss could haunt Crispa for some time to come.

Column: The venom of 'Snake' Jones

Bulletin Today sports editor Lito Fernandez reflected on the impact of Toyota import Byron "Snake" Jones in the Comets' two victories in the 1975 PBA First Conference title series. The column was published on the day of Game 4.

The venom of ‘Snake’ Jones

NEUTRAL CORNER
By Lito Fernandez
Bulletin Today
Published Thursday July 31, 1975

As expected, the best-of-five series  between Crispa and Toyota for the PBA championship did not end in three games. The fourth game will be played today and the fifth, if necessary, is reserved for tomorrow.

The Toyota Comets, thanks to Byron “Snake” Jones, made the extension possible by winning the second game after dropping the first. The Comets again took the third game to turn the series completely around and take a commanding 2-1 lead.

Jones, Toyota’s six-foot-eight American import, has been the main force in Toyota’s drive in the last two games. He has been doing what Comet coach Dante Silverio expects him to do: control the shaded lane and the backboards.

Game 7: Toyota 109, Crispa 105 (July 29, 1975)

Toyota defeated Crispa for the second time in as many nights to move a win shy of capturing the 1975 PBA First Conference championship. Import Byron "Snake" Jones frustrated the Redmanizers anew with his dominating presence on both ends.

Toyota trims Crispa, 109-105
Seeks clincher tomorrow

By Ding Marcelo
Bulletin Today
Published Wednesday July 30, 1975

Toyota humbled Crispa for the second straight time, 109-105, in a bruising contest last night and moved within a game of clinching their best-of-five Philippine Basketball Association championship series at the Araneta Coliseum.

Tempers were hard to contain during the hard, rugged contest and the game almost blew beyond control when a near scuffle between Comet Byron "Snake" Jones and Redmanizer Alfredo Hubalde broke out after Hubalde drove in, five seconds left, and was met by the towering American's blocking arms.

Quick response by police officers averted a free-for-all although when play resumed tension was visibly reflected between the two teams with Fortunato Co, Rey Franco and Robert Jaworski touching off another heated exchange with their two own verbal tussles.

Game 6: Toyota 88, Crispa 87 (July 28, 1975)

American import Byron "Snake" Jones rebounded from his so-so performance in Game 1 to help Toyota win Game 2 of the 1975 PBA First Conference Finals. Jones had 30 points and 25 rebounds as the Comets tied the best-of-five series at 1-1.

Toyota five nips Crispa, 88 to 87

By Ding Marcelo
Bulletin Today
Published July 29, 1975

Toyota withstood the overwhelming pressure of a blistering Crispa rally last night as the Comets subdued the Redmanizers, 88-87, in a low-scoring match to even up their best-of-five Philippine Basketball Association championship at one win apiece at the Araneta Coliseum.

Six-foot-eight Byron "Snake" Jones preserved a sparkling one-man show for the Comets by banging in his team's final point to cushion Toyota from a searing Crispa rally that saw the Redmanizers narrow the gap to 85-86, 58 seconds left, from an early 73-82 deficit.

Jones made it 88-85, 30 ticks remaining, but successive fumbled by Redmanizer Philip Cezar and Comet Francis Arnaiz consumed the time from the resulting turnovers and the Redmanizers never stopped trying after Rodolfo Soriano charitied twice, 88-87, 10 ticks left.

They intercepted the throw-in with seven seconds to go but Cezar stepped on the endline, giving possession back to the Comets.

Game 5: Crispa 107, Toyota 103 (July 24, 1975)

Crispa, playing without the suspended Johnny Revilla, took the opening game of the best-of-five series for the 1975 PBA First Conference championship behind big games from Bogs Adornado and Philip Cezar and a strong defensive effort on Toyota import Byron "Snake" Jones.

Crispa topples Toyota, 107-103

Philippine Daily Express
Published Friday July 25, 1975

QUEZON CITY, July 24 - Crispa weathered a swarming, almost paralyzing Toyota full-court in a torrid finish to win, 107-103, tonight and take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-five series for the first conference championship of the Philippine Basketball Association.

It was an inspiring win, fashioned before another capacity crowd at the Araneta Coliseum, for the Redmanizers, who entered the contest in the unusual role of underdog after absorbing back-to-back losses to the Comets in the semi-finals besides having had to scramble into the finals via a playoff with Universal Textile.

Game 4: Toyota 114, Crispa 102 (July 20, 1975)

Finals-bound Toyota completed a six-game sweep of the PBA first conference semifinals by beating Crispa for the second straight time. The loss forced Crispa to play U-Tex in a playoff for a spot in the title series which the Redmanizers won.

Toyota tops Crispa anew
U-Tex rips Royal, gains playoff

By Ding Marcelo
Bulletin Today
Published Monday July 21, 1975

Toyota, employing what its coach calls a "very simple man-to-man defense," clogged Crispa's vaunted firepower as the Comets made it two straight over the Redmanizers. 114-102, to sweep the Philippine Basketball Association semifinal round at the Araneta Coliseum.

The defeat, Crispa's third, allowed U-Tex to tie the Redmanizers for second place and the two teams meet tomorrow in a knockout game to decide which meets Toyota in a best-of-five series for the PBA first conference title.

The Weavers forged the deadlock by stopping Royal Tru-Orange, 107-96, in the first match of the twinbill that drew a near-capacity crowd of some 22,000.

The ‘Double Slider’ that beat the Redmanizers (July 18-25, 1975)

Toyota found a strategy to beat Crispa for the first time in three tries as described by Sports Weekly Magazine in a July 1975 issue. The Comets’ win over the Redmanizers came during their first semifinal meeting in the PBA First Conference.

STORMY CHARGE TO THE PENNANT

The ‘Double Slider’ that beat the Redmanizers

Sports Weekly Magazine

Published July 18-25, 1975

Tag us repetitious, chirping bird, but still Tuesday night at the Dome, Coach Dante Silverio proved to all and sundry the basketball mind he’s got can pull off a stormy but successful pennant charge in the bedazzled first conference of the play-for-money league.

It was clear case of Dante outwitting Baby Dalupan and the Comets outplaying the Redmanizers, a complete turnabout of their first two meetings where the latter made mincemeat out of the vaunted, Snake Jones-reinforced Toyotas.

Yet it was done the hard way; a spectacular way which further added spice to the already growing friendly rivalry between two of the country’s most respectable coaches., the brains and bench-mentors of two of the most powerful basketball teams ever assembled in the land.

Game 3: Toyota 106, Crispa 104 (July 15, 1975)

A red-hot Francis Arnaiz and Ramon Fernandez led Toyota to its first win over the Bogs Adornado-less Crispa during the semifinals of the 1975 PBA first conference.

Toyota nips Crispa, 106-104

By Ding Marcelo
Bulletin Today
Published Wednesday July 16, 1975

Toyota, starring Francis Arnaiz, finally exploded Crispa's growing  myth of invincibility last night, 106-104, and moved top within a game of earning a finals berth in the Philippine Basketball Association at the Araneta Coliseum.

Arnaiz, a spunky 5-10 former national team mainstay, riddled Crispa's taunted defense with 34 points including the final two that sealed the Redmanizer's fate, six seconds left, 106-102, giving the Comets their third straight victory in the semis.