Game 15: Toyota 115, Crispa 102 (Nov. 20, 1975)

Sparked by the return of Ramon Fernandez, Toyota won Game 3 to close in on capturing the 1975 PBA Second Conference crown. Crispa team manager Danny Floro, however, hinted at forfeiting the next game over the selection of referees during the title series.

Toyota smothers Crispa, 115-102

By Al Mendoza
Bulletin Today
Published Thursday, November 20, 1975

Toyota coach Dante Silverio used Ramon Fernandez last night and the move paid off as teh Comets brought down Crispa, 115-102, to take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five series for the Philippine Basketball Association second conference championship at the Araneta Coliseum.

Fernandez, his newly-operated broken nose protected by a plaster cast, responded by playing his usual triple-threat game.


Inspired by Fernandez’s brilliant play despite his handicap, the Comets roared off to a 23-14 lead, padded this to 13 in the first quarter, 34-21, before building up an 18-pointer, 61-43, late in the third period.

And when Crispa woke up early in the fourth quarter by coming to within five points, 94-99, the Comets took advantage of the Redmanizers’ numerous misses thereafter to bury the Redmanizers for good, 107-94, five minutes left.

“He (Fernandez) said he could manage to hold his ground,” said Silverio. “I included him in the starting five and as you saw it, he responded well.”

Dr. Ariston Bautista of the Makati Medical Center gave Fernandez the go signal to play. It was seconded by the PBA physician.

Fernandez scored 12 points, six of them in Toyota’s blazing 19-12 start. He also grabbed six rebounds in that stretch and then had three blocks in the second period, two against Philip Cezar and once against William Adornado.

His first half heroics were then preserved by Robert Jaworski, Francis Arnaiz and Byron “Snake” Jones the deadliest Comets in the final half of the game held before another sellout crowd of some 32,000.

So tomorrow, Toyota needs only to win against Crispa in the fourth game to pluck the conference championship and duplicate its victory in the first conference of the league.

Hot prospects of Crispa forfeiting the match tomorrow loomed last night as Crispa manager Danny Floro lambasted by what he termed as irregularities going on in the league.

Floro, fuming mad in the dressing room, particularly singled out the manner the technical committee select the two referees who officiate every championship game.

“I have requested that they include the other three referees in every raffle before every game, but they rejected it,” said Floro. “Why?”

Organizers only have Feliciano Santarina, Eriberto Cruz and Rolando Bartolome to choose from in every game as they said the three are the top-rated referees in the league today.

“How did they grade the referees?” asked Floro. “Does it mean that Bernos (Estefanio), Manuel (Rodolfo) and Marquez (Venusto) are all stupid referees.”

Floro said that worst comes to worst, he would have no second thoughts of paying P10,000 - the fine for forfeiting one game in the league.

The individual scores:

Toyota - 115
Arnaiz 30
Jones 22
Jaworski 16
Fernandez 12
Segura 10
Rocha 9
Cherry 8
Bauzon 6
Acuna 2
A. Reynoso 0
C. Reynoso 0
Clarino 0

Crispa - 102
Co 23
Adornado 22
Cezar 18
Burks 10
Crotty 8
Franco 6
Soriano 6
Fabiosa 5
Hubalde 4
De la Cruz 0
Guidaben 0

Toyota  34  33  32  16  -  115
Crispa  21  30  39  12  -  102
Refs: R. Bartolome, F. Santarina