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.

Co easily was Toyota's chief tormentor this year. In the best-of-five series for the second conference title (which the Redmanizers won for the second leg of their grand slam), the hot-shooting former Mapua star also was the top scorer with 95 points in four games – an average of 23.75 points per game.

“He (Co) was a major problem,” Toyota coach Dante Silverio admitted Tuesday night after the fifth game.

Co, an MVP during his best year in the NCAA, long played in the shadows of William Adornado, the sweet-shooting Redmanizer forward who was placed on the inactive list following a knee injury early in the second conference.

Coach Baby Dalupan and the Redmanizers lost Adornado for the remainder of the PBA's second year, it's true, but his absence proved to be a blessing in disguise for the Redmanizers as it gave Co and Alfredo Hubalde, another ex-Mapua ace and NCAA MVP, an opportunity to prove their real worth to the team.

Hubalde blossomed into a superstar, leading Crispa's production in at least half a dozen games. But in the all-important best-of-five series, Crispa's chances rested heavily on the shooting arms of the “Fortune Cookie.” Co rose to the occasion and the rest was history.

Co, of course, was not the only standout on the Crispa team. Every Redmanizer, from Cyrus Mann down to Cristino Calilan, contributed his share to Crispa's sweep of the three PBA titles this year.

The biggest tribute came from Silverio himself. After seeing his team go down for the third straight time Tuesday night, the Toyota mentor told sportswriters: “They (the Redmanizers) are a good team. They deserved to win.”