Vic Villafranca of the Sports Weekly Magazine with his take on the Crispa's victory in the 1980 PBA All-Filipino Conference championship series also marred by Toyota management's firing of coach Fort Acuna.
No big 20 but it's Crispa on top at the wind up
ON THE LINE
By Vic Villafranca
Sports Weekly Magazine
Dec 19-26, 1980
Nine-thirty Thursday evening, December 11 was supposed to have been the time when the clock was to toll midnight for the Crispa Redmanizers in their mind-blowing bid to win their fourth PBA All-Filipino championship on the wings of an unprecendented 20-game sweep.
But in the night of shocks, both on the hardcourt and away from it, the Redmanizers saw their awesome winning streak snapped at 19 by the Toyota ballclub that lost its coach, Fort Acuna, at halftime only to make up for that loss with a resurgence in its old fighting heart to win, 97 to 94, and send the best of five playoffs to Game 4.
It was a terrible comedown for a team that looked like it was poised to keep its date with PBA history following solid wins over Toyota in the first two games of the playoffs. And as to what happened, why that sudden descent of the Redmanizers into the league of ordinary mortals, Coach Baby Dalupan attributed it all to the pressure that dogged his boys since the countdown began for their entry into the world where no other team in local basketball had been before.
"The pressure was too much for the boys," said the man who along with team manager Danny Floro had steered Crispa to seven PBA championships since the PBA began in 1975. "They lost their composure and became over-eager with their shots."
Although the setback stung, Floro took it well. "Let's forget the 20-game sweep, let now concentrate on winning the championship."
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And that was what the Redmanizers did two nights later, on Saturday, the 13th of December, as they threatened a walkaway with a 24-point lead in the second and then stood their ground against a last-ditch Toyota bid to turn the game around early in the fourth to prevail, 105-91, before an enthralled turnout of 25,000 at the Big Dome in Cubao.
It was the Redmanizers' 20th win in 21 games, and although they were frustrated from their bid to hit a big 20 on their way to the title, the feat remained a monumental one for a ballclub which never got to make the pennant playoffs of the PBA's first and second conferences this year.
It was a stunning comeback from the depths of two earlier third place finishes for Crispa, and as to what brought it about, both Coach Dalupan and Manager Floro had only one interpretation.
From a splintered group, the Redmanizers that set out on their campaign for greatness in the 1980 All-Filipino became one big solid family.
"Team harmony did it," said Floro. "Gumanda ang samahan."
Floro added that one other factor that made Crispa the cohesive outfit that it was in the All-Filipino was the way the players managed to change their attitude towards the coach and the players to the coach.
Other than the team's "magandang samahan," Dalupan attributed it success to an improvement in its defense. "It was a tremendous improvement," said Baby, who along with Floro, got the traditional joy ride even before the horn had sounded to end the game and signal the New Year's eve merrymaking that punctuated the Crispa camp's celebration of an epic All-Filipino conference campaign.
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Following their numbing loss to Toyota in Game 3 of the series, the game, if they had won it, could have earned for them a coup equally as towering as their unforgettable grand slam feat in 1976, it looked as if the Redmanizers would be going into Game 4 feeling very much under the gun.
But when they shot off to an 11-point lead late in the first quarter and then blew that to 24 by outscoring the Tamaraws, 31 points to 19, going into the second quarter, they had the cushion they needed to absorb whatever shocks Toyota would still generate in the homestretch.
It was Arnold Tuadles, last year's rookie of the year, who singlehandedly almost wiped out what Crispa had labored so hard to erect in the first two quarters by leading a Toyota comeback that saw the Tamaraws bring down Crispa's lead to only four points, 81-77, as the game moved into the homestretch.
It looked to a pointas if the Tams were headed for a big comeback, but it turned out to be Toyota's last hurrah as Atoy Co, Freddie Hubalde, Joy Dionisio and Philip Cezar put together a 9-2 crusher that sent Crispa out front by 11 and inexorably on its way to the championship it also won last year over Toyota.
A crush of well-wishers crowded the jubilant champs at the wind-up and among them, was the man who found himself thrust in the role of acting Toyota coach when he fired Acuna for insubordination and for placing his personal interest over the interest of Toyota to give the public a good game always - Don Pablo O. Carlos Jr., Delta Motors Corporation executive vice president.
Showing all the attributes of a gentleman and a sportsman, Don Pablo laboriously made his way to the Crispa bench and offer his hand in congratulations to Danny Floro.
Later, he paid tribute to the champs. "Our boys tried their best," he said," but Crispa played like the champions that they are."
* * * * *
As for Jaworski, whose benching in the first two quarters by Coach Acuna was likened by Carlos to cheating the public and which eventually led to Acuna's summary dismissal at the halftime break, he said he was happy Toyota was able to give the crowd a good game.
"We got tired but I'm happy that the team gave its best and the public enjoyed the game. Basically, that was what we were after," said Jaworski, who earlier in the day of Game 4 found himself defending himself from the accusations hurled against him by his coach and former teammate.
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And so it's all over - one of the most unforgettable All-Filipino tournaments of local pro basketball. It was a series that started out on a humdrum note, but picked in intensity and suspense as Crispa scored one win after another in its bid to accomplish what had looked like a mission impossible and then was capped by that Toyota sideline drama that led to the ouster of a coach in midstream and eventually, Crispa's ascencion anew to the pinnacle of what had always been considered the PBA's most prestigious and toughest to win tournament.
* * * * *
The day after the championship match, Toyota added a new dimension to its role as good losers by coming out a full page ad that drew praises from both the average fan and the Crispa camp for its message.
The ad, a first in the history of the PBA, conveyed Toyota's congratulations to the victorious Crispa Redmanizers, "our arch rivals, yet our sporting friends."
"That was a very touching gesture of sportsmanship," said Danny Floro and joining him in the sentiment were Coach Dalupan and team skipper Atoy Co.
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Here are some of the more memorable quotes that came after the moment of high drama in Game 3 of the playoffs:
"If I was there, I could have kicked ass," - Delta President Ricardo Silverio in a statement supporting the ouster of Coach Fort Acuna.
"He could not deliver the many responsibilities of a coach. He lacked professionalism, the skills needed in the position of personal relationship with the players. - Pablo P. Carlos Jr. on Fort Acuna.
"I believe he's insincere and immature." - Ousted Toyota Coach Fort Acuna on Jaworski.
"Me, insecure and immature? He must be talking of another person. He must be talking to himself." - Jaworski on Acuna.
* * * * *
We wish to acknowledge the congratulatory letters sent by the following on the Crispa victory: Nars M. Ramos, Jojo Mendoza, Larry Hernandez, Bing Solicito, Ernie de Dios, Maximo Relosa, Jose Agbayani, Mimi Zelda and the National Crispanians.
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