Game 12: Crispa 108, Toyota 102 (Nov. 9, 1975)

Crispa ended a six-game losing streak against Toyota by winning their second-and-final out-of-town game held in Cebu City. The victory put the Redmanizers one game shy of making the 1975 PBA Second Conference finals.

Crispa five finally beats Toyota; Noritake wins

By Al Mendoza
Bulletin Today
Published Monday November 10, 1975

CEBU CITY, Nov. 9 - Crispa finally broke a frustrating six-game losing streak against Toyota tonight when the Redmanizers rolled back the Comets, 108-102, to take a share of the lead in the Philippine Basketball Association semifinal round.

The victory tied Crispa with Noritake, which edged Royal Tru-Orange, 134-131, at the West Negros College gym in Bacolod City for its third win against two defeats.

The loss tied the Orangemen with the Comets for last place in the four-team semifinals, each with a 2-3 card.

The Redmanizers riddled the Comet defense three fourths of the way to lead by 24 points at one time but floundered precariously in the dying minutes before firming up their stand to finish with a spare.


Robert Jaworski, Francis Arnaiz and Cristino Reynoso launched a double-barrelled, triple-teaming maneuver to put the Comets within striking distance, 102-97, and 104-99, from a big 74-98 deficit in the fourth quarter.

Successive hits by William Adornado, who finished with 33 points, however, doused water into the fiery Toyota rally, 108-100, giving Crispa coach Baby Dalupan his first win in seven starts over the Comets.

Adornado, who had typified the Redmanizers seemingly utter bellmouthing against the Comets as he time and again was played under wraps by the tight guarding of Jaworski, came back with a vengeance as he routed his tormentor, scoring even the basket that gave Crispa that 24-point bubble at 98-74.

Crispa surrendered the fourth quarter to Toyota but that blazing third quarter spurt in which the Redmanizers led by 21, 92-71, was the decisive stage that finally broke the jinx for coach Dalupan.

James “Cowboy” Cornelious grabbed 27 rebounds, made 22 assists and scored 21 points as he almost single-handedly powered Noritake to its victory over Royal.

Cornelious’ spectacular perfomance clinched for Noritake at least a share of second place in the semifinals, which will end Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

Cornelious was at his best in the fourth quarter. The Tru-Orange had grabbed the lead at 103-97 early in that quarter but Cornelious went to town after that, sparkling a fiery 20-6 attack for a 117-106 Noritake lead.

The two-time all-American collegiate player hauled down 10 rebounds, made five assists and tossed in six points in that murderous stretch.

He had 17 rebounds in the fourth quarter alone, seven of them coming off the defensive boards with all seven converted into baskets.

Noritake totalled 57 points and 50 assists.

“Cowboy is really an ideal player,” said Noritake coach Emerson Coseteng. “He has no ups and downs and he plays dead serious in every game.”

Coseteng, however, also gave credit to what he called splendid teamwork of his boys, which he said was the biggest factor next to Cornelious’ heroics.

After that 11-point lead, 117-106, Tru-Orange rallied to within four, 117-121, when Manuel Paner found the range and a tired Cornelious was rested by Coseteng.

But the American import was sent back in and quickly stopped the rally by scoring three points, picking up three more defensive rebounds and feeding Jesse Sullano for a basket once in a 9-6 counter-attack that gave Noritake a comfortable 134-125 lead, 16 ticks left.

Ernesto Estrada, who topped all scorers with 41 points, then put the final count at 134-131 with six straight points.

The individual scores:

Crispa - 108
Adornado 31
Co 20
Burks 13
Franco 12
Crotty 9
Guidaben 6
Soriano 5
Cezar 3
De la Cruz 2
Pages 2
Fabiosa 0

Toyota - 102
Arnaiz 23
Jones 20
C. Reynoso 15
Segura 14
Jaworski 11
Fernandez 5
Acuna 4
Cherry 4
Rojas 2
Clarino 2
Rocha 2
Bauzon 0

Crispa  27  29  36  16  -  108
Toyota  31  18  22  29  -  102