Philip Cezar, Atoy Co and Joy Dionisio came through for Crispa to top Toyota and move on the threshold of winning the 1979 PBA All-Filipino title with a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.
Crispa shades Toyota
By Ding Marcelo
Bulletin Today
Published Wednesday July 4, 1979
Crispa clawed back from the brink of disaster last night as the Redmanizers outsteadied the Toyota Tamaraws, 112-109, to gain a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five series for the PBA All-Filipino Conference championship at the Araneta Coliseum.
Philip Cezar and Fortunato Co, Jr. sparkled throughout the evening of tense, bruising basketball but the Redmanizers found a new hero in Gregorio Dionisio whose last two baskets broke the backs of the defending champion Tamaraws.
Dionisio, a guard whose talent seldom rose above Crispa’s star-studded crew, glittered like a diamond as he shattered a pair of ties in the last two minutes, including a 109-all deadlock.
It was the best game so far in the on-going series and some 20,000 spectators relished every moment of the thriller as both teams produced the drama and high-caliber performance only they are capable of.
The Redmanizers led for more than three-fourths of the way and appeared headed for an easy win when they led, 98-89, early in the final period.
But Arnulfo Tuadles, Toyota’s sensational rookie who plays like a veteran ignited a searing 18-6 Tamaraw early that wiped out Crispa’s lead and put Toyota on top, 107-104, 2:37 remaining.
Instead of melting under the tremendous pressure, Crispa first exploded a 5-0 counterblast, three of them by Cezar and two by Dionisio, that put Crispa ahead anew, 109-107.
After Tuadles, who finished with 21 points, tied the game at 109-all, Dionisio scored on a long 25-foot shot that proved to be the winning shot for Crispa, 111-109.
Cezar then stole off Ramon Fernandez in the next play but he fouled out later on Tuadles with the outcome still in the balance, 41 seconds left.
Tuadles, however, missed both charity shots and Crispa grabbed the rebound after a jumpball enused on Tuadles’ second miss.
“Angel si Dionisio doon (Dionisio was like an angel),” said Crispa coach Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan, his hands still trembling from the tension of the match.
“Suwerteng-suwerte lang talaga (We’re just lucky),” Dalupan added.
Toyota coach Fortunato Acuna, Jr., praised Crispa’s superb game and also his team’s gallant stand but he minced no words in lambasting the officiating.
“I have always avoided saying that referees were to blame for my team’s defeat,” he said. “But now, for the first time, i must say that the officiating was lousy, partial and inconsistent.”
Acuna particularly mentioned referees Jose Obias and Eriberto Cruz, whom he described as “referees, who, deliberately or not, unconsciously make it a point to make questionable calls against my team.”
Debris rained down on the court during the last three minutes of play as fans showed displeasure at calls made against both teams.
Significantly, the Games and Amusements Board had taken over the power to appoint referees for this remaining games from the PBA.
But the change seemed to have touched the sensibilities of some PBA officials, particularly Domingo Itchon, the PBA president, who shoved and then threw invectives to Evening Post Sports Editor Artemio Engracia, Jr. after the game.
Itchon, whose subalterns said he was under the influence of liquor, said the press was destroying the PBA when Engracia asked if the PBA would do something about the officiating.
The Redmanizers’ gun for the title they last held three years ago in tomorrow’s game at 7:30 p.m.
Similarly gunning for the clincher is Tanduay, which humbled Filmanbank, 120-102, in last night’s first game for a 2-1 lead in their own best-of-five series for third place.
Co, hitting from all sides, and Cezar, helping contain the irrepressible Ramon Fernandez whom he blocked twice, hit 33 and 24 points, respectively, as they sparked Crispa’s offense.
Alfredo Hubalde, who beat Robert Jaworski in several one-on-one situations, finished with 19 points while Dionisio pumped in 17, his biggest so for in the series.
Francis Arnaiz topscored for the defending champions with 26 points. Fernandez, the leading candidate for the Most Valuable Player award, had 24.
The scores:
Crispa — 112
Co 33
Cezar 24
Hubalde 19
Dionisio 17
Guidaben 8
Javier 4
Fabiosa 4
Varela 2
De la Cruz 1
Adornado 0
Toyota — 109
Arnaiz 26
Fernandez 24
Tuadles 21
Legaspi 12
Jaworski 10
Estrada 8
King 4
Salazar 4
Bulaong 0
Quarterscores: 24-23, 53-52, 90-80, 112-109
Crispa 24 29 37 22 — 112
Toyota 23 29 28 29 — 109
Refs: E. Cruz, J. Obias, R. Victorino
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