Game 96: Crispa 109, Toyota 101 (June 21, 1981)

Crispa foiled Toyota’s first crack at clinching the last semifinals berth after winning for their second meeting in the 1981 PBA Open Conference eliminations.

Crispa trounces T’yota, 109-101

Bulletin Today

Published Monday June 22, 1981

Crispa foiled Toyota’s bid to clinch the fourth and last semifinal berth in the PBA Open Conference last night when the Redmanizers ran down the Superdiesels, 109-101, before some 20,000 fans at the Araneta Coliseum.

After a slow start, Baby Dalupan’s charges took control of the match late in the first quarter, roared ahead by 24 points in the third period and then quelled two Toyota uprisings in the final frame to score the convincing victory.

The win — a repeat of Crispa’s 112-97 win over Toyota in the first round — hiked the Redmanizers’ overall edge over their arch-rivals to 52-44 and it enabled Crispa to regain a share of the lead with defending champion U-Tex with identical 13-4 records.

The loss lowered Toyota’s record to 11-6 but the Superdiesels could still make it if they beat Finance, Inc. (5-10) in their last game in the eliminations on Saturday.

Toyota’s lone rival for the fourth and last semifinal berth is CDCP (9-7), following Tefilin’s 131-140 overtime loss to Gilbey’s Gin in the first game last night.

The loss — Tefilin’s eighth in 17 games — ended the Polyesters’ semifinal hopes.

To earn a tie for the fourth berth, CDCP must win their games with Yco-Tanduay (1-15) and San Miguel Beer (12-4) and hope that Toyota loses to Finance, Inc.

After taking a 56-44 halftime lead, the Redmanizers ballooned their lead to 24 points, 84-60, late in the third quarter.

The individual scores:

Crispa — 109

Hardy 23

Hubalde 17

Guidaben 14

Fabiosa 12

Co 11

Carpio 10

Cezar 9

Jones 8

Varela 5

Dionisio 0

Mamaril 0

Toyota — 101

Tuadles 25

Arnaiz 16

Florencio 16

Jaworski 15

Fields 13

Fernandez 8

V. King 6

Merced 2

Herrera 0

A. King 0

Legaspi 0

Quarterscores: 27-18, 56-44, 88-70, 109-101

Crispa  27  29  32  21 — 109

Toyota  18  26  26  31 — 101

Refs: R. Bartolome, R. Victorino, T. Urbano