Donnie Ray Koonce and Pol Herrera starred in Toyota’s Game 5 win over Crispa that earned them the right to face San Miguel Beer in the 1982 PBA Reinforced All-Filipino championship series.
Toyota tops Crispa, 111-104
By Willie Caballes
Bulletin Today
Published Friday June 25, 1982
Donnie Koonce knocked in 39 points and reserve Pol Herrera scored the go-ahead basket in a decisive 12-5 burst in the last four minutes last night to spark Toyota to a 111-104 victory over arch rival Crispa in their knockout match to decide San Miguel’s opponent in the PBA Reinforced All-Filipino Conference championship series.
After Herrera, who came in after Arnulfo Tuadles fouled out, shattered a 99-all tie with a drive, the red-hot Koonce erupted for six straight points to give Toyota a commanding eight-point lead, 107-99.
The Redmanizers threatened at 107-104 when Fortunato Co, Jr. hit a three-point shot and drove in but Ramon Fernandez scored on a jumpshot and then Koonce capped his brilliant offensive display with a pair of charities to quench the rally.
The come-from-behind victory, fashioned before an overflow crowd of 30,000 at the Araneta Coliseum, enabled the Super Corollas to win their semiifnal series over Crispa, three games to two.
“Nag-collapse,” Crispa coach Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan said after the game, referring to his boys’ downfall in the fourth quarter which saw the Super Corollas, down three-fourths of the way, outscore the Redmanizers, 33-20.
He added that although the Redmanizers had succeeded in isolating Glenn Hagan most of the time for one-on-one plays, the Crispa import was always double-teamed by Toyota’s big men.
Toyota mentor Ed Ocampo, who has two PBA titles under his belt, said that his team’s physical conditioning was a major factor in the game. He noted that the Redmanizers were idle during the quarterfinal stage.
Toyota team manager Ricky Silverio said “Breaks lang, breaks lang” while shaking hands with the Redmanizers during his visit to the Crispa dugout after the game.
The best-of-seven championship series between Toyota and San Miguel will start tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.
Crispa and U/Tex, the other defeated semifinalist, clash in a similar series for third place, which will also start tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.
Neither team led by more than six points, although the Redmanizers were in the driver’s seat in the first three quarters, 28-23, 54-52 and 84-78.
The tide turned in Toyota’s favor starting the fourth quarter when Arnulfo Tuadles who had scored 14 points, fouled out, prompting Ocampo to send in Herrera.
A basket each by Jaworski and Koonce brought Toyota to within two, 82-84. Both teams traded baskets until Herrera tied the score, 88-all, 8:25 left.
Two more deadlocks ensued, the last at 99-all, which Herrera shattered for the go-ahead basket. At this point, Crispa’s offense collapsed as Koonce scored six straight points for that decisive 107-99 Toyota lead.
In the final analysis, the game was won on the foul throw lane where Toyota outscored Crispa, 17-10. Both teams had 44 field goals and a pair of three-point shots.
The Redmanizers, who were outrebounded 47-41, were also hurt by their errors, committing 12 as against Toyota’s eight.
The individual scores:
Toyota — 111
Koonce 39
Fernandez 25
Tuadles 14
Jaworski 9
Arnaiz 8
Herrera 8
Saldana 2
King 2
Florencio 0
Crispa — 104
Cezar 25
Co 20
Hagan 16
Guidaben 14
Hubalde 10
Villamin 8
Fabiosa 7
Cristobal 4
Mamaril 0
Cruz 0
Quarterscores: 23-28, 52-54, 78-84, 111-104
Toyota 23 29 26 33 — 111
Crispa 28 26 30 20 — 104
Refs: A. de la Cruz, W. Mateo, R. Victorino
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