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.
Robert Jaworski lobbed in seven straight points as Toyota tried to breakaway, 83-75, midway in the final quarter. But a follow-up by Irving Chatman and a jumper by Alberto Guidaben put Walk Tall back into the fight, 83-79.
But after Arnulfo Tuadles and Joy Dionisio swapped baskets, Andrew Fields, who played his most inspired game of the season, capped a 9-4 binge with a towering dunkshot that took out the pressure, 94-85, 1:54 to go.
Another basket by Ramon Fernandez and a jumpshot by Robert Jaworski gave Toyota an irreversible 13-point lead, 98-85.
That triggered off a wild cheering from thousands of flag-waving fans and confetti rained down the court in a carnival-like celebration of the impending victory.
“The boys were really inspired,” said coach Fort Acuna, the same man who piloted the Tamaraws to the championship in 1977 and 1978.
Acuna gave credit to his predecessor, Dante Silverio, who resigned before the second game saying that he took over a really prepared team which had very strong chances of coming out champions.
With Toyota’s capture of the third conference, it marked the first time in the five-year history of the pay-for-play loop that all three titles of the season taken by three different teams.
Crispa emerged champion in the All-Filipino conference while Royal Tru-Orange captured the second conference crown.
Walk Tall mentor Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan blamed their loss on what he said was an erratic offense and a twist of bad luck.
Fortunato Co, Jr., the Jeansmakers’ top gunner, hurt his left thigh minutes after he was fielded in when he collided with teammate Irving Chatman. He managed to score only six points, thereby blunting Crispa’s normally sharp offense.
“We could not keep up a strong offense going. The boys were too tense. Our imports also failed to keep up with the pace of the game,” said Dalupan.
Fields, who had 17 points and 16 rebounds, went into foul trouble early, picking up three fouls after only six minutes.
But the Jeansmakers failed to fully exploit this break and the Tamaraws surprisingly led by as many as 10 points, 29-19, early in the second quarter.
A brief burst of fire initiated by Philip Cezar pulled Crispa abreast, 31-all, but Bruce King ignited an 11-2 flurry as Toyota moved ahead, 42-35, enroute to a 50-45 advantage at the turn.
The Tamaraws remained on top all the way after that but had to come up with that strong windup to stop the Jeansmakers who had rallied to narrow the gap at 83-79.
The individual scores:
Toyota — 98
Jaworski 30
B. King 20
Fields 17
Arnaiz 10
Tuadles 10
Fernandez 7
A. King 2
Bulaong 2
Salazar 0
Legaspi 0
Crispa — 87
Harris 19
Hubalde 14
Dionisio 12
Cezar 10
Chatman 10
Guidaben 10
Co 6
Adornado 4
Varela 3
D.L. Cruz 0
Quarters: 21-17, 50-45, 67-59, 98-87
Toyota 21 29 17 31 — 98
Crispa 17 28 14 28 — 87
Refs: R. Bartolome, F. Santarina, G. Ledesma
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