Robert Jaworski and Ramon Fernandez reflected on the defining moment of Toyota’s victory over Crispa in the 2003 PBA Reunion Game.
Crispa cries rematch
By June Navarro
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Published Sunday June 1, 2003
IT was a forgotten dream revisited.
Not even Sen. Robert Jaworski, who drilled in the night’s most memorable basket, had fancied such a fantastic ending.
The old, graying devotees came to worship in hordes again.
The players, cold, rusty engines, started their battle slowly, taking creaky strides as though climbing a mountain.
But once they hit their stride, the old, bitter rivalry smoldered.
The game was tough, rugged, less than cordial the hardcourt violence of yesteryears had threatened to erupt after thudding clashes.
Errant elbows of old dug at ribs again.
But when the smoke of battle cleared, it was the Big J’s turn to make a joyful dig at Crispa pride.
“Medyo rusty ang Crispa. Halos mamaga na nga yung ring sa kakatira ni Atoy. (Crispa wasn’t really in good shape. In fact, the hoop took a beating as Atoy kept missing his shots.),” Jaworski quipped.
Jaworski, who was well-covered during his 10-minute, second-half stint on the floor, made his only shot in the game—a booming triple at the top of the arc—that sent the fans inside the Big Dome roaring in delight.
“The option was already there. Alangan namang ipasa ko pa eh open na,” said the Big J.
Credit also went to Ramon Fernandez, who issued the pass to Jaworski for the game-clinching three-pointer.
Said Fernandez: “It was fitting that he (Jaworski) received the pass and made the shot. I just returned the favor.”
Fernandez was referring to Jaworski’s inbound pass that perfectly set him up for an undergoal stab in the dying seconds as they went on to score a 132-130 victory over the Rookies-Sophomores team in the 1989 All-Star Game.
“Just like the Big J of old. He always makes the shot when we needed it most,” said Fernandez.
But the story didn’t end there.
The Redmanizers wanted revenge so badly that they’re looking forward to another classic encounter with the Tamaraws, which, probably, is bound to happen a year from now if the PBA chooses to.
“Hindi bale na matalo sa ibang team, huwag lang sa Toyota. Babawi kami sa susunod,” said Crispa’s Philip Cezar moments after Jaworski drained the key triple in the final 23 seconds to break the backs of the Redmanizers.
Although he blurted out those words with a grin, Cezar, a former vice-mayor of San Juan, obviously anticipates another matchup with the Tamaraws to get even.
Atoy Co, who buried back-to-back long toms that kept the game close down the stretch, shared Cezar’s sentiment and promised that the Redmanizers will come out more prepared the next time.
“Dapat nga noon pang 90s itong Crispa-Toyota game. Kaya nagpapasalamat ako kay commissioner (Noli Eala) at nabigyan kami ng pagpapahalahga. (The Crispa-Toyota game should have been done a long time ago. My hat’s off to the commissioner for giving us due recognition),” said Co.
“Doon naman sa pagkatalo namin, sana makabawi kami next year. (About our loss, we hope to get even next year),” added the “Fortune Cookie” who won the PBA MVP in 1979.
Co actually had a bad night, converting only three of his 14 field goal attempts and two of his six free throws, something unusual in his 18-year PBA career.
But just like everybody who savored the reunion, Co couldn’t say anything bad about the full-fledged revival of the Crispa-Toyota Suspense Theater.
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