Toyota spoiled the debut of Tommy Manotoc as Crispa coach by winning the opener of the 1983 PBA season behind Abe King and Nick Bulaong.
Toyota conquers Crispa; Galerie drops Manhattan
By Raffy Japa
Tempo
Published Monday March 7, 1983
Toyota, with the prodigious Abe King controlling both boards and surprise card Nick Bulaong providing the clutch hits, spoiled Tommy Manotoc’s debut as Crispa coach by outsteadying the Redmanizers, 86-84, last night at the Araneta Coliseum.
The heart-stopping match capped a night of thrilling basketball that ushered in the 1983 season of the Philippine Basketball Association.
Earlier, Galerie Dominique, last year’s heartbreak team, likewise played spoiler to league newcomer Manhattan Shirts with a close 98-93 decision before 25,000 roaring fans that sweltered in the oven-hot Big Dome.
Veterans Danny Florencio and Jimmy Javier played the fireman’s role for the Artistas as they poured in the needed points when they counted the most — in the final stretch.
The Crispa-Toyota setto was anybody’s game until the dying seconds when the breaks went against the Redmanizers.
Bulaong, subbing for the foul-beleguered Ramon Fernandez, hit on a side jumper to break the last deadlock, 82-82, with 58 ticks to go. Bulaong’s pressure-laden shot came after a mighty offensive rebound by King.
On the return play, Crispa skipper Fortunato Co fished a foul from Toyota rookie Chito Loyzaga — his sixth — but the usually reliable point guard muffed both charities, to the dismay of Crispa followers.
King grabbed the rebound but he rifled the ball a little strongly to a fast-breaking teammate. As the ball bounced off the rim, Toyota’s Leopoldo Herrera and Co battled for possession until the referee ruled a jump ball.
Herrera tapped the ball to King and Toyota stalled for time. After a series of fouls in Crispa’s desperate bid to gain possession, King fed Bulaong who jumped from within the keyhole, 86-82, for the winning basket, only nine seconds were left of the game clock.
King established an all-time record in rebounds by hauling down 17 defensive rebounds to erase the previous record of 15 held by Manuel Paner, Ely Capacio, Fernandez and himself.
“Nakalusot. I guess Crispa was still groping. They played a calculated game which made them slow down offensively,” said Toyota coach Ed Ocampo after the game.
Manotoc echoed Ocampo’s view saying: “Medyo malas sa shooting. I think both teams suffered from opening day jitters. It’s a matter of polishing up our offensive pattern.”
Manotoc pointed out that Guidaben’s two crucial miss from under going into the last two minutes of play, with Crispa up by a basket, 82-80, was the turning point of the game.
Fernandez drove through three Crispa defenders to level the count at 82-all with 1:39 remaining. Soon after, Bulaong relieved him.
Down by as much as eight points in the third quarter, 55-63, the Artista mounted a seething rally that saw Florencio, Jaime Taguines, Jaime Javier and comebacking Rudy Soriano, the ex-Crispa Redmanizer, unload 12 straight points to grab the upperhand, 67-63.
The individual scores:
Toyota 86 — Fernandez 18, Arnaiz 17, Bulaong 17, King 12, Legaspi 9, Herrera 6, Relosa 4, Loyzaga 3, Tuadles 0, Coloso 0, Cordero 0.
Crispa 84 — Co 25, Guidaben 17, Fabiosa 14, Cezar 10, Villamin 5, Cruz 4, Cristobal 3, Hubalde 2, Mamaril 2, Israel 2, Esguerra 0.
Quarterscores: 14-11, 33-44, 60-58, 86-84.
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