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.
The Tams go for the clincher tomorrow when they take on their arch rivals in the fourth game of the series. Tomorrow’s match is set at 6:30 p.m. because there will be only one game.
In the first game last night, U-Tex beat Gilbey’s Gin in overtime, 123-115, as the Wranglers completed a three-game sweep of the Gins in their own best-of-five series for third place.
The regulation period ended at 108-all.
“The boys gave their best tonight,” Toyota coach Fortunato Acuna told sportswriters after the game, mentioning in particular Fields, Bruce “Sky” King, Francis Arnaiz and Robert Jaworski.
Fields and King outclassed Crispa imports Bernard Harris and Irving Chatman, who did not play in the second game when Toyota romped 123-95, made only 13 points.
Danilo Florencio, the former Tamaraw who has been in the freezer for quite sometime now, came in donning a Toyota uniform but did not play. However, it was a sign that Toyota would let him play again.
In an interview last Tuesday, Ricardo Silverio, Sr., Toyota’s new team manager, said that he would allow Florencio to play in the first conference next year.
Philip Cezar was the only effective local player for Crispa, scoring a game-high 30 points, including six in a 10-4 blast that razed a 99-88 Toyota lead to five, 103-98, 1:13 left.
The Jeansmakers had a chance to cut it further when Alfredo Hubalde stole off Arnaiz, 1:04 left. But after a court-length drive, Hubalde made a back pass that was intercepted by Bruce King.
King rifled the ball to Jaworski who scored for a 105-98 Toyota lead. After Harris answered in the return play, Jaworski sealed Toyota’s victory with a lay-up, 107-102.
The individual scores:
Toyota — 107
Fields 29
B. King 23
Arnaiz 21
Jaworski 13
Tuadles 12
A. King 6
Salazar 2
Legaspi 1
Fernandez 0
Crispa — 102
Cezar 30
Co 21
Harris 19
Chatman 13
Hubalde 10
Varela 4
Dionisio 4
Adornado 1
Guidaben 0
Quarterscores: 21-22, 52-42, 84-71, 107-102
Toyota 21 31 32 23 — 107
Crispa 22 20 29 31 — 102
Refs: R. Bartolome, R. Manuel, A. de la Cruz
No comments:
Post a Comment