Crispa took advantage of the absence of several key players of Toyota to win their second meeting in Cebu City. The victory was also the second straight for the Redmanizers against the Comets in the 1976 PBA First Conference.
Crispa routs Toyota, 121-97
By Al Mendoza
Bulletin Today
Published Monday June 7, 1976
CEBU CITY, June 6, - Crispa-Floro bucked a jittery start tonight and went on to rout an undermanned Toyota team, 121-97, and take the undisputed lead in the All-Filipino conference of the Philippine Basketball Association at the Aznar Coliseum here.
The Redmanizers trailed the Comets four times in the first quarter, the last at 29-31, as the seven Comets unleashed a gallant stand to the delight of some 5,000 spectators.
Crispa took the first quarter by only one point, 33-32, then settled down to business, dropping to a 10-2 bomb to pocket the second quarter by 10, 61-51. William Adornado fired six of his game-high 29 points in this flurry.
Crispa was never threatened after that as Baby Dalupan’s boys breezed to their 12th win against only one loss. The defeat was only the second for Toyota against 11 wins.
“Sumobra and confianza ng mga bata sa umpisa (My boys were overconfident at the start),” said Dalupan after the game.
Toyota coach Dante Silverio said he could not ask for more from his boys.
“Considering the odds against us, I am satisfied with my boys’ performance tonight,” he said.
Crispa’s win was their 11th in 23 matches with Toyota in the PBA. Toyota still leads Crispa, 12 wins to 11, in their private duel.
In PBA matches held in Manila, Tanduay upset Quasar, 141-126, with a record 50-point spree in the fourth quarter while Noritake squared its record to 7-7 with a 130-125 overtime victory over 7-Up.
It was the 13th straight loss for the Uncolas, who dropped into the cellar with a 1-13 mark.
Crispa led by 20, 75-55, midway in the third quarter but the Comets, playing without regulars Ramon Fernandez, Francis Arnaiz and Elias Tolentino, countered with a 13-0 barrage behind the combined efforts of Rodolfo Segura and Robert Jaworski to cut the Redmanizers’ lead to seven, 75-68.
But that proved to be the last stand of the Comets as the Redmanizers lowered the boom on them.
Back-to-back hits by Adornado and Virgilio de la Cruz and a five-point cluster by Alfredo Hubalde in a counter 9-4 Crispa splurge put the Redmanizers safely ahead anew, 84-72.
Toyota cut Crispa’s margin to nine, 77-86, at the end of the third quarter but an opening 13-4 Crispa salvo in the fourth ripped the game wide open, 101-90.
Toyota’s woes were compounded when Segura fouled out with still seven minutes left after firing 26 points, tops for the Comets.
Crispa’s Tito Varela suffered a nose injury during a scramble for the ball early in the second quarter. Dalupan and Crispa manager Danny Floro said that Varela broke his nose.
Rolando Marcelo sat out the match due to a sprained foot. The Toyota forward will be out of action for six weeks, according to Silverio.
(No individual scores were posted by the Bulletin)
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