Game 49: Toyota 132, Crispa 120 (Oct. 25, 1977)

Toyota ended eight straight defeats against Crispa by winning the final game of the 1977 PBA Second Conference eliminations that saw the absence of Francis Arnaiz and Bernie Fabiosa and the ejection of Atoy Co.

Toyota dumps Crispa; 7-Up wins

Bulletin Today

Published Wednesday Oct. 26, 1977

Toyota overpowered a crippled Crispa team last night, 132-120, in a no-bearing but prestige-laden game before a banner crowd at the Araneta Coliseum in the windup of the PBA Second Conference eliminations.

Playing with Coach Dante Silverio said was an “all-out offensive and enthusiastic game,” the Tamaraws, sparked by the dominating play of John Irving and Bruce “Sky” King, led practically all the way and had the game all sewed up after posting an unbeatable 24-point lead, 77-53, in the third quarter.

The rout came after the 7-Up Uncolas had finally earned a semifinal berth with a 115-108 victory over the Tanduay Esquires.

The win, a repeat of 7-Up’s 115-107 triumph over Tanduay in the first round, gave Lauro Mumar’s boys a 7-7 record in Group B, the same slate posted by Group A qualifier Presto.

Lawrence Mumar, Chris McMurray, Jaime Mariano and Danilo Florencio combined for 98 points to spark the Uncolas, who became the sixth team to enter the semifinals. All four Group B teams made it to the semis.

The absence of two key Redmanizers and the throwing out of Fortunato Co, Jr. early in the third period contributed a great deal to the massacre of the Redmanizers.

The win snapped Toyota’s eight-game losing streak against Crispa and avenged its 107-99 loss to the Redmanizers in the first round.

Crispa still holds an overall 27-22 edge, though, over their archrivals.

The Redmanizers played minus guards Bernard Fabiosa and Armando Torres and forward Rodolfo Soriano. On the Toyota side, Francis Arnaiz did not play.

Fabiosa missed the game to be at the bedside of his wife who had just given birth to their first child, while Soriano was meted a disciplinary action for coming late to their practice last Monday. Torres was not in uniform when play began.

Arnaiz was still nursing a sprained ankle and missed his second consecutive game. Silverio, however, said that he might see action in the opening of the semifinals tomorrow.

A 10-2 barrage keyed up by Irving and capped by a pair of charities by Pablo Javier padded Toyota’s 16-point 67-51 halftime lead to 24, 77-53, early in the third quarter.

The Redmanizers never recovered from that blow.

It was also at this point that Co was thrown out of the game by referee Igmidio Cahanding for hitting Javier with a short punch to the jaw.

Before that, Co and Javier had collided in midair on a layup try by the Toyota guard, who got a foul from Co in the process.

The two had several verbal exchanges after that then suddenly Co hit Javier after Irving had scored on a jumper for a 95-73 Toyota lead.

The scores:

Toyota — 132

Irving 34

B. King 26

Fernandez 19

Jaworski 14

Legaspi 14

Sta. Maria 8

A. King 8

Rocha 6

Bulaong 2

Salazar 0

Crispa — 120

Mann 31

Cezar 24

Hubalde 14

Hicks 10

Guidaben 10

Co 9

Varela 9

Franco 8

Dionisio 3

Calilan 2

D.L. Cruz 0

Toyota 35 32 34 31 —  132

Crispa. 29 22 32 37 —  120

Refs: I. Cahanding, J. Obias, V. Marquez