Team of the Year: Whose else? (Dec. 25-31, 1976)

Legendary announcer Dick Ildefonso broke down Crispa's comeback victory over Toyota in the finals of the 1976 PBA All-Philippine Championship in a column for Sports World Magazine.

TEAM OF THE YEAR: WHOSE ELSE?

Here's Dick

By Dick Ildefonso

Sports World

Published Dec. 25-31, 1976

The Crispa charisma triumphed over Toyota tenacity in a year-end showdown which turned out to be an anti-climactic letdown after such a classic build-up as both quintets stretch the best-of-five championship series to the limit.

The Redmanizers, in the same fashion that marked their march to three conference titles, again started their bid somewhat doubtfully by dropping two important qualifying round matches to Noritake and Toyota respectively which forced them into a sudden-death play-off with the Porcelain-Makers before their championship confrontation with the Tamaraws.

It appeared to be a short-lived series as the tough Toyotans romped off with back-to-back victories to post an awesome 2-0 advantage which again placed the Crispans with their backs against the wall.

Atoy Co - PBA's MVP (Dec. 23, 1976)

Bulletin Today sports editor Lito Fernandez paid homage to Atoy Co's MVP-like performance in the 1976 PBA All-Philippine Championship that completed Crispa's grand slam.

Atoy Co – PBA's MVP

THE NEUTRAL CORNER

By Lito Fernandez

Bulletin Today

Published Thursday December 23, 1976

Last year, Fortunato Co, Jr. and girl friend Alona Alegre attended the All-Filipino Sports Awards (AFSA) ceremonies at the Folk Arts Theater, knowing full well that Atoy would not win the basketball award. But they were there, the sweet, lovable duo and Atoy applauded when Toyota's Francis Arnaiz received the award.

This year, Atoy and Alona are expected to be there again and this time, chances are Atoy won't just be a spectator. Judging from his performance this year, especially in the just-concluded All-Philippine championship, Atoy is a cinch for the “Mr. Basketball” title.

In the best-of-five series that ended the other night, Atoy knocked in a total of 159 points for a sizzling average of 31.80 points per game – tops in the series. He was at his best in the decisive fifth game which saw him function like a one-man wrecking crew, shooting a game-high 39 points to break the backs of the Tamaraws.

Game 43: Crispa 110, Toyota 92 (Dec. 21, 1976)

Atoy Co capped off his offensive brilliance with 39 points as Crispa completed its 0-2 comeback against Toyota in the 1976 All-Philippine championship and pull off PBA's first grand slam.

Crispa tops Toyota, wins grand slam

Co unloads 39 to spark Redmanizers' 110-92 win

By Ding Marcelo

Bulletin Today

Published Wednesday December 22, 1976

Crispa's never-say-die Redmanizers added another first in their glorious history last night as they destroyed Toyota with compelling ease, 110-92, to win the All-Philippine championship and complete a sweep of all Philippine Basketball Association titles this year.

Crispa's victory, their third straight in the best-of-five series, climaxed a long, excruciating climb by the Redmanizers who, aside from scoring the PBA's first grand slam, also became the first team in the two-year-old league to win a title coming from two games down.

A dazzling offensive complemented by a crippling, swarming defense gave the Redmanizers the edge all evening as both teams were initially hampered by the tremendous pressure of the match, missing easy shots and committing ghastly errors in alarming succession to the surprise of some 25,000 spectators at the Araneta Coliseum.

Game 42: Crispa 104, Toyota 103 (Dec. 19, 1976)

Cyrus Mann's jumper late allowed Crispa to repeat over Toyota and force their 1976 PBA All-Philippine Championship title series to a rubber match.

Crispa squares series

Wranglers place third

By Ding Marcelo

Bulletin Today

Published Monday, December 20, 1976

Crispa, still seething with vengeance, took the measure of Toyota anew last night, pounding out a close 104-103 win in a bruising, tempestous encounter that sent their championship series to a fifth and deciding game tomorrow for the All-Philippine crown of the Philippine Basketball Association at the Araneta Coliseum.

A jumper by Cyrus Mann with 30 seconds left provided the Redmanizers the difference in the pulse-pounding contest after the Tamaraws had uncorked a desperate rally in the last two minutes that saw them outshot the victors, 12-2, from 102-91 down to narrow the gap at what it was at end.

Elbows and at times, even fists, flew in wild abandon and tempers were hard to contain in this fourth meeting between the two clubs. But the Tamaraws appeared more on the verge of losing their cool.

Game 41: Crispa 115, Toyota 105 (Dec. 16, 1976)

Crispa leaned on Atoy Co and Cyrus Mann to prevent Toyota from sweeping the 1976 PBA All-Philippine Championship finals while keeping its slim grand slam hopes alive with a Game 3 victory.

Crispa clips Toyota, stays alive

Score: 115-105; U-Tex nips N'take

By Ding Marcelo

Bulletin Today

Published Friday, December 17, 1976

Crispa derailed the Toyota juggernaut last night as the Redmanizers pounded out a convincing 115-105 victory over the Tamaraws to extend their best-of-five series for the All-Philippine championship to a fourth game Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Their pride pricked by two consecutive losses, the Redmanizers played with the vigor and vitality of a true champion as they outclassed the bewildered Tamaraws who found themselves crippled by fouls and almost demoralized by their own offensive weakness.

Byron “Snake” Jones fouled out with more than six minutes left while Howard Smith, the other half of the mighty American tandem of Toyota, found himself saddled with five fouls with still nine minutes left.

Fortunato Co, Jr., averaging more than 30 points in the last two playoffs, sizzled with 34 as he combined with the inspired Cyrus Mann who hauled rebounds with impunity, blocked shots with regularity and was so agitated by his own performance, that he even ventured to suggest that his team would win against odds of “10-to-1.”

Tamaraws on the go (Dec. 16, 1976)

There seems to be no way Crispa can stop Toyota after two games of the 1976 PBA All-Philippine Championship finals, as suggested by Bulletin Today sports editor Lito Fernandez.

Tamaraws on the go

THE NEUTRAL CORNER
By Lito Fernandez

Bulletin Today

Published Thursday December 16, 1976

A Crispa fan who was watching the Crispa-Toyota game on TV Tuesday night stood up early in the fourth quarter after the Redmanizers committed another passing error. “Wala. Talo nang talaga. Mananalo ba 'yan e tapon nang tapon (Crispa is finished. How can the Redmanizers win when they always blunder away points?),” he blurted as he steamed out of the room.

Indeed the Redmanizers contributed to their own downfall by playing a highly erratic game. All told Baby Dalupan's boys committed 22 errors, including three straight wild passes by Cyrus Mann in the third quarter, as against 17 for the Tamaraws. In addition, the Redmanizers had 27 turnovers against 22 for the Tamaraws.

Crispa's final two errors in the overtime drove the last nails into the Redmanizers' coffin leading by only one point, they committed another passing error which Francis Arnaiz, playing his usual top-caliber game, parlayed into Toyota's go-ahead basket. In the ensuing play, Fortunato Co tarnished his game-high 41 points when he stepped on the endline, an error which led to Arnaiz's insurance basket.

Game 40: Toyota 118, Crispa 117 (Dec. 14, 1976)

Francis Arnaiz rescued Toyota from the jaws of defeats to stun Crispa and take a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-five series for the 1976 PBA All-Philippine Championship. Toyota won despite losing three players because of six personal fouls.

Toyota shades Crispa, 118-117

By Ding Marcelo

Bulletin Today

Published Wednesday December 15, 1976

Toyota's sparkling Tamaraws, displaying nerves of steel in the face of tremendous pressure, overhauled a five-point deficit in the last two minutes last night to subdue the Crispa Redmanizers in overtime, 118-117, that moved them to within a game of clinching the Philippine Basketball Association's All-Philippine Championship.

Francis Arnaiz, epitomizing all that is best in the Tamaraws, banged in his team's last six points as he performed with amazing efficiency, razing an imposing 115-110 Crispa spread and insuring the Toyota victory with a clinching drive in the last five seconds that propelled Toyota on top, 118-115.

No other match between these titans of professional basketball has evoked so much sweat, produced so much animosity as last night's.

Game 39: Toyota 100, Crispa 90 (Dec. 12, 1976)

Francis Arnaiz and Robert Jaworski led a fiery windup as Toyota beat Crispa in Game 1 of the 1976 PBA All-Philippine Championship. Arnaiz led the Tamaraws with 32 points.

Toyota trips Crispa

By Al Mendoza

Bulletin Today

Published Monday December 13, 1976

Francis Arnaiz and Robert Jaworski sparked a crushing 13-4 Toyota windup last night as the Tamaraws scored a 100-90 win over the error-prone Crispa Redmanizers in the opener of their best-of-five series for the PBA All-Philippine championship at the Araneta Coliseum.

Arnaiz and Jaworski, the country's best backcourt combination, took charge in finally applying the brakes on Crispa's last-ditch offensive, unleashing a telling 10-2 blast that gave Toyota an unreachable 97-86 lead, one minute and 30 seconds left.

“Wala. Ginaling talaga sila. Organisado ang laro nila. Walang nag-aapura. Lahat tama sa tiyempo, (They really played well. They were organized and their timing was always right),” Crispa coach Baby Dalupan admitted after the game.

Game 38: Toyota 106, Crispa 100 (Dec. 7, 1976)

Toyota completed a four-game elimination round sweep of the 1976 PBA All-Philippine Championship while forcing Crispa to face Noritake in a playoff for a spot in the best-of-five title series.

Toyota subdues Crispa, 106-100

By Ding Marcelo

Bulletin Today

Published Wednesday December 8, 1976

Toyota brought down Crispa last night, 106-100, sending the Redmanizers to a knockout game with Noritake tomorrow for the right to meet the Tamaraws in the best-of-five series for the All-Philippine championship of the Philippine Basketball Association.

The Tamaraws, playing heady, inspired and well-coordinated basketball throughout, surged to 13-point leads four times and never faltered even as the Redmanizers uncorked rally after rally in the final quarter.

When the Redmanizers closed in at 78-83 early in the fourth period, the guns of Francis Arnaiz and a fine-playing Howard Smith gave the Tamaraws a pair of 13-point spreads, the last at 97-84.

Fortunato Co, Jr. scored an evening-high 30 points, including Crispa's last 10 points, but it did nothing to turn the tide and merely narrowed the gap to what it was at the end.