Reunion: Redmanizers call for ‘return bout’ (June 1, 2003)

The Crispa Redmanizers were quick to challenge the Toyota Tamaraws to a rematch after ending up on the losing end of their Reunion Game in 2003.

Redmanizers call for ‘return bout’

By Tito S. Talao

Manila Bulletin

Published Sunday June 1, 2003

Like “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars” and the Ali-Frazier trilogy, the Crispa-Toyota saga is dying for a new lease in life.

Just when everybody thought the glowing embers were dead, with Robert Jaworski’s picture-perfect three-point shot — his only field goal attempt for the evening — providing the exclamation point to the Philippine Basketball Association’s most bitter rivalry, Terry Saldana, the Reunion Game’s MVP, stepped in and stoked the flicker into a flame.

It’s not quite the outlines of a phoenix yet, but something is rising from the fiery ruins.

Moments after he was named most valuable player, beating out Toyota teammates Chito Loyzaga and Oscar Rocha, Saldana, a strong but quiet man who allows his muscles to do the talking, walked up to a microphone and blasted the Crispa Redmanizers.

“Para silang mga squatter, hawak ng hawak at tulak ng tulak!” said Saldana, immediately stirring up a hornet’s nest within the Crispa psyche.

Fortunato Co, who had a horrible shooting night before coming through with two consecutive jumpers that turned a near-blowout into a down-the-wire classic, was enraged.

“Bago siya magsalita ng ganoon, magpa-test muna siya!” Co told reporters at Dencio’s Restaurant outside the Araneta Coliseum.

The fabled “Fortune Cookie” made no effort to hide his reference to the league-wide drug test currently consuming the PBA.

Bernard Fabiosa, Freddie Hubalde and Abet Guidaben, the hands-down choice for MVP had Crispa won, seconded Co’s unsolicited advice.

“Tignan nga niya ang itsura ko kumpara sa kanya,” said Fabiosa.

Philip Cezar, who shut down Saldana defensively whenever he was on the Toyota power forward, found it curious that Saldana would be liken the Redmanizers to squatters. because they were pawing and hanging on to him.

“Squatter…hinahawakan siya…anong koneksyon n’yon?” Cezar said angrily.

William ‘Bogs’ Adornado refused to be sucked into the quagmire but agreed Saldana should have been more magnanimous.

“Nanalo na nga sila, e,” Adornado said.

Itoy Esguerra, a Letran Knight like Saldana, was more forgiving.

“Baka nabigla lang si Terry. Eh, napakamahiyain non,” said Esguerra, a comment that drew wry contempt from his Crispa teammates.

“Sabihin mo, bobo talaga siya!” said Cezar, cutting Esguerra off.

“Dapat talaga magkaroon ng rematch,” said Co, 1-for-14 from the floor before finding his range. “Mahirap talagang tanggapin na natalo tayo sa mga ‘yon.”

Here Dave Floro, son of the late Crispa owner Danny Floro, joined in.

“That’s why I’m calling for a rematch, anytime, anywhere,” he said. “An issue remains unsettled. Puwede ngang best-of-three ito, e.”

So a fresh challenge has been hurdled, one echoing through the walls and chambers of Philippine basketball.

Time will tell, however, if this new one will be accepted, what with the Oscar-award winning ending written by fate and acted out with precisin by Ramon Fernandez and Robert Jaworski.