Crispa Walk Tall arrested its five-game slide against Toyota by winning their first meeting in the semifinals of the 1980 PBA first conference. The victory also put the Jeansmakers one victory shy of making the finals.
Crispa downs Toyota by 9
By Al S. Mendoza
Bulletin Today
Published Sunday July 13, 1980
An extra sharp Crispa team squandered a 20-point lead but got its second wind in time to beat Toyota, 112-103, and virtually nail down the first of two finals berth in the PBA first conference at the Araneta Coliseum.
The 20-point bulge came seconds after the start of the fourth quarter, 97-77. But suddenly, the lead was down to just four points, 105-101, as Toyota cut loose with a scorching 24-8 attack sparked by Robert Jaworski.
Twice, the Tamaraws had a chance to inch closer but each time, Larry Boston foiled them with back-to-back blocks.
Boston’s last block came off a driving Abe King, 52 seconds left, 105-101. Boston himself took the rebound and then sank a side jumpshot that gave Crispa a safe 107-101 lead with 49 ticks left.
The rest of the Jeansmakers then joined Boston in reviving Crispa’s early deadly sting as Fortunato Co, Jr. and Tito Varela free threw each to sew up the match, 109-101, 13 seconds remaining.
“Buenas (we’re just lucky),” said Crispa coach Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan.
“Akala ko todas na kami (I thought we’re finished),” he added referring to that point where Crispa’s lead went down to four points.
It was Crispa’s third win, fashioned before a jampacked crowd of 23,000, as the Jeansmakers took sole possession of the semifinal lead with a 3-0 card.
The victory likewise snapped Crispa’s losing streak to Toyota at five and gave the Jeansmakers a 43-40 lead over the Tamaraws in their fabled feud which started in 1975.
Crispa is assured of gaining the first finals slot as it is expected to beat Great Taste in the second game on Tuesday.
The Discoverers, playing minus imports Jimmy Hearns and Lewis Brown, were massacred by U-Tex, 104-99, in last night’s first game. With that win, the Wranglers set five records this season, including the biggest margin.
The Discoverers are now virtually doomed to fourth place as Hearns and Brown, who submitted medical certificates attesting to their injuries, received a doctor’s order to rest for at least a week.
“Our offense was awful,” said Toyota coach Fortunato Acuna. “We had a shooting clip of 40 percent in contrast to Crispa’s 45.55 percentage. It was overall a lousy game for us.”
Crispa’s most deadly blows came in the second quarter behind the hot hands of Boston, Philip Cezarm Alfredo Hubalde and Alberto Guidaben who accounted for 30 of Crispa’s 38-point output in the period.
The individual scores:
Crispa — 112
Cezar 21
Co 20
Boston 19
Guidaben 19
Hubalde 7
Cuyler 7
Fabiosa 7
D.L. Cruz 6
Carpio 3
Natividad 2
Varela 1
Dionisio 0
Toyota — 103
Jaworski 20
Tuadles 19
A. King 17
Fernandez 16
Arnaiz 9
Florencio 8
Fields 7
B. King 5
Legaspi 2
Herrera 0
Salazar 0
Quarterscores: 25-27, 63-48, 92-77, 112-103
Crispa 25 38 29 20 — 112
Toyota 27 21 29 26 — 103
Refs: J. Obias, G. Ledesma, T. de los Reyes
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