Game 80: Toyota 98, Walk Tall 87 (Dec. 15, 1979)

Toyota finished off Crispa Walk Tall in four games, capping off the 1979 PBA campaign by winning the third conference championship for the third straight year.

Toyota whips Crispa, retains PBA crown

By Bert Eljera

Bulletin Today

Published Sunday Dec. 16, 1979

Toyota captured the third conference crown of the Philippine Basketball Association for the third straight year last night with a masterful 98-87 conquest of Crispa Walk Tall before some 20,000 fans at the Araneta Coliseum.

It was a classic display of speedness that the Tamaraws dished out as they never wavered in their play from both sides of the court to reassert their supremacy in the conference they won for the first time in 1977.

Toyota outclassed Walk Tall in the match-ups of imports vs. imports and locals vs. locals, although the Tamaraws had to rely on a strong finishing kick to finally turn back the rallying Jeansmakers.

Game 79: Toyota 107, Walk Tall 102 (Dec. 13, 1979)

Behind a hot start from import Andy Fields, Toyota topped Crispa Walk Tall to gain a 2-1 lead and a win shy of claiming the 1979 PBA third conference crown.

Toyota subdues Crispa, 107-102

By Al Mendoza

Bulletin Today

Published Friday Dec. 14, 1979

Andrew Fields banged in 17 points in the first quarter last night as defending champion Toyota downed Crispa Walk Tall, 107-102, for a commanding 2-1 lead in their best-of-five series for the PBA third conference championship at the Araneta Coliseum.

With Fields breaking loose, the Tamaraws outscored the Jeansmakers, 31-20, in the second quarter for a 52-42 halftime lead from which Crispa never recovered.

The defending champions went on to post their biggest lead at 82-63, and then held off a rally by the Jeansmakers in the closing minutes to move within a game of winning their third straight conference title.

Game 78: Toyota 123, Walk Tall 95 (Dec. 11, 1979)

Toyota crushed Crispa Walk Tall on the day Dante Silverio resigned as coach and team manager to even the 1979 PBA third conference championship series at a game apiece.

Toyota rips Crispa by 28

By Al Mendoza

Bulletin Today

Published Wednesday Dec. 12, 1979

Toyota, with its three suspended players back and playing under a new coach, bounced back with vengeance last night to crush Crispa Walk Tall, 123-95, and square their best-of-five series for the PBA third conference championship at one game apiece.

A crowd estimated at 12,000 — one of the smallest to watch a Toyota-Crispa match at the Araneta Coliseum — saw the reinforced Tamaraws rout the Jeansmakers, who played without import Irving Chatman.

The Tams, now managed by Ricardo Silverio, Sr., president of the Delta Motor Corp., and coached by Fortunato Acuna following the resignation of Dante Silverio yesterday morning as coach and manager of the team, led all the way and even led by 37 points once in the lopsided encounter.

Silverio quits as coach, team manager (Dec. 11, 1979)

Dante Silverio resigned as Toyota’s coach and team manager hours before Game 2 of the 1979 PBA third conference championship series amid pressure to bring back Ramon Fernandez, Abe King and Estoy Estrada from suspension.

Silverio quits as coach, team manager

Bulletin Today

Published Wednesday Dec. 12, 1979

Dante Silverio, one of the country’s finest rally drivers who has risen to become a noted basketball coach, has resigned his post as head coach and manager of the Toyota basketball team.

Silverio, 40, made the announcement yesterday shortly after team owner Ricardo Silverio, Sr. overruled Dante’s decision to mothball three key players for the rest of the best-of-five series with arch rival Walk Tall (Crispa) for the third conference title.

Fernandez and company to play for Toyota? (Dec. 10, 1979)

Reports that the suspensions imposed to Ramon Fernandez, Abe King and Estoy Estrada have been lifted surfaced before the second game of the 1979 PBA third conference championship series between Toyota and Crispa Walk Tall.

Fernandez and company to play for Toyota?

Bulletin Today

Published Tuesday Dec. 11, 1979

Its stock boosted immeasurably by an easy 129-101 win last Saturday, Crispa Walk Tall tries to make it two in a row tonight when it takes on Toyota in the second game of their best-of-five series for the PBA third conference championship at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Jeansmakers, however, may have to exert more effort because of a report that the three suspended Toyota players — Ramon Fernandez, Abe King and Ernesto Estrada — will play for the Tamaraws tonight. The game is set at 7:30 p.m.

Game 77: Walk Tall 129, Toyota 101 (Dec. 8, 1979)

Crispa Walk Tall drew first blood against Toyota in their best-of-five series for the 1979 PBA third conference championship. The Tamaraws once again played minus Ramon Fernandez, Abe King and Estoy Estrada.

Harris, C’tman shine as Crispa wins by 28

By Al Mendoza

Bulletin Today

Published Sunday Dec. 9, 1979

A near-flawless performance by the imports led Crispa to a smashing 129-101 win over Toyota last night in the opener of their best-of-five series for the PBA third conference crown at the Araneta Coliseum.

Bernard Harris routed Andrew Fields while Irving Chatman held his fort against the deadlier Bruce “Sky” King in a matchup hatched only before the game.

Game 76: Walk Tall 107, Toyota 100 (Dec. 1, 1979)

Walk Tall, the new name carried by the Crispa franchise, won its only 1979 PBA third conference elimination round meeting against a Toyota side playing without Ramon Fernandez, Abe King and Estoy Estrada.

WT rallies to beat Toyota

By Al Mendoza

Bulletin Today

Published Sunday Dec. 2, 1979

Timely shuffling by Baby Dalupan carried Walk Tall to a come-from-behind 107-100 victory over previously unbeaten Toyota last night in the PBA third conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

For almost 30 minutes, Dalupan groped in the dark until he made the right move — he put in Philip Cezar in place of the scrappy Irving Chatman.

From 16 points down, 59-75, early in the third quarter, Cezar, who turned 27 yesterday, blasted in 12 points in a wicked 27-8 bomb that catapulted Walk Tall to an 86-81 bubble en route to a 92-83 margin at the end of the period.