Crispa's second straight lopsided win
over Toyota was marred by an alleged punching incident between Robert
Jaworski and Bernie Fabiosa late in their 1976 PBA Second Conference
semifinals game.
Crispa routs Toyota anew
Score: 113-94; U-Tex crushes Royal
By Ding Marcelo
Bulletin Today
Published Monday Nov. 1, 1976
Crispa's fired-up Denims tore through
Toyota's defense with impunity last night and scored a repeat
one-sided 113-94 victory over the Comets to bounce back into
contention in the semifinals of the PBA second conference at the
Araneta Coliseum.
The Denims' sparkling conquest of the
Comets, who played without coach Dante Silverio, came after U-Tex's
134-118 rout of Royal Tru-Orange that gave the Wranglers the
undisputed lead in the double robin series with two straight wins.
The Denims, who went into the court
toting a 106-101 loss to U-Tex in the semifinal round opener, played
with the magnificence of a champion team as they tried to maintain
their composure in the face of Toyota's harassing tactics in the
closing minutes.
Bernard Fabiosa, who scorched the
hardcourt with his blinding speed, topscored for Crispa with 19
points. However, he was carried out of the court nearly unconscious
reportedly after being punched by Comet Robert Jaworski in the
throat, one minute and 40 seconds left, Crispa ahead, 105-90.
Jaworski claimed that he, too, was hit
by Fabiosa. Only the proverbial cooler heads prevented the incident
from exploding into a melee.
Crispa's lopsided victory, a near
duplicate of its 123-97 win over Toyota in the closing game of the
elimination last Sunday, came swiftly and almost unnoticed.
Though the Comets played without their
coach, who reportedly was suffering from a bum stomach, they battled
the Denims on even terms before a 12-4 splurge in the second quarter
signalled Crispa's breakaway, 36-24, from a mere 24-20 first quarter
Crispa lead.
Jaworski called the shots for Toyota
but there was no fire in the Comets as the Denims steadily pulled
away, leading by 20 points, 82-62, going into the final quarter. They
increased this to 23 points, their biggest, 97-74, six minutes left.
A 10-0 uprising by the Comets fanned
hopes of a major uprising as they narrowed the gap to 13, 97-84. The
Denims, however, fought back with an 8-0 flurry that sealed the game
for Baby Dalupan's boys, 105-84.
Crispa's balance attack produced seven
double figures with William Bunton and Fortunato Co contributing 16
points each and Alfredo Hubalde and Philip Cezar adding 14 apiece.
Crispa's win, fashioned before another
capacity crowd of 30,000, enabled the Denims to catch up with the
Comets in their continuing series. They now have 16 victories apiece.
The PBA technical committee will meet tomorrow to determine where the fault lies in the Jaworski-Fabiosa incident although no call was made by any of the two referees – Jose Obias and Felicisimo Santarina.
Ramon Fernandez led the Comets with 22
points, followed by Byron “Snake” Jones with 19 and Jaworski with
18.
Dan Knight led all scorers last night
with 46 points and Ronualdo Cahanding knocked in 29 points as the
Wranglers, playing without Rudolf Kutch, scored their first win in
three meetings with the Orangemen.
Kutch had been suspended for one game
and fined P1,000 for his emotional outburst in the dying minutes of
the U-Tex-Crispa game last Thursday.
The Orangemen, who scored 107-103 and
121-110 victories over U-Tex in the eliminaton round, had led 32-29
in the first quarter, but they faltered in the second quarter where
they hit only 20 points. The Wranglers hit 33 in the same period for
a 62-52 U-Tex lead.
Carl Bird, the top scorer in the elims,
tallied only 19 points – his lowest scorer in 18 games.
Ernesto Estrada and Manuel Paner paced
Royal with 27 and 26 points, respectively, marking the second
straight game, the two had led the Orangemen's production.
Crispa – 113
Fabiosa 19
Bunton 16
Co 16
P. Cezar 14
Hubalde 14
Mann 13
Soriano 11
Dionisio 5
Varela 5
Calilan 0
Guidaben 0
Toyota – 94
Fernandez 22
Jones 19
Jaworski 18
Segura 14
Acuna 8
Smith 6
Arnaiz3
Tolentino 2
Bauzon 0
Cortez 0
Rojas 0
Crispa 24 28 30 31 – 113
Toyota 20 20 22 32 – 94
Refs: J. Obias, F. Santarina
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