Heart, guts in game of the year (June 2, 2003)

Recah Trinidad wrote his reflections on Toyota’s victory over Crispa in the 2003 Reunion Game on his regular column for the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Heart, guts in game of the year

BARE EYE
By Recah Trinidad

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Published Monday, June 2, 2003

THEY played the PBA game of the year way, way ahead of schedule.

Nobody had expected it.

In fact, the Crispa-Toyota reunion match was originally conceived as an appetizer, a so-so rematch to raise the curtains for the All-Star weekend.

Whoever altered the Friday night script at the Big Dome, and turned the appetizer into the main event, must be having the biggest laugh of his life.

Reunion: Forgotten dream revisited (June 1, 2003)

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.

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.

Reunion: Toyota 65, Crispa 61 (May 30, 2003)

Robert Jaworski’s three off a pass by Ramon Fernandez in the final seconds sealed Toyota’s victory over Crispa in a classic 2003 Reunion Game between the two bitter rivals at the Araneta Coliseum.

‘A joyride back in time’

By Tito Talao

Manila Bulletin

Published Saturday May 31, 2003

FOR PERHAPS the last time in a decade-long rivalry that spanned ages, bridged generations, broke barriers and shattered records, the two greatest basketball forces in the land — the Crispa Redmanizers and the Toyota Super Corollas, clashed for posterity, finally bringing down the curtains before thousands of adoring Philippine Basketball Association fans at the Araneta Coliseum.

And 14 years after it was first extended, Ramon Fernandez returned the favor to Robert Jaworski.

Back in the unforgettable 1989 All-Star game, Jaworski hit Fernandez with a perfect pass under the basket and Fernandez glided under and scored an impossible reverse layup at the buzzer as the Veterans came from behind to defeat the Rookies/Sophomores team, 132-130.

This time, the feeder became the executioner.

Arnold Tuadles sizzles anew (Dec. 19-26, 1980)

Arnie Tuadles reflects on his revived play in the 1980 PBA All-Filipino title series for Toyota against Crispa and the firing of coach Fort Acuna in a Sports Weekly Magazine feature.

ARNOLD TUADLES SIZZLES ANEW
(Or, the rebirth of Arnold T.)

By Pyke F. Jocson

Sports Weekly Magazine

Dec. 19-26, 1980

It's been a seesaw affair.

Yes, from that time he made a sensational debut in the PBA which paved the way for his earning the 1979 PBA Rookie of the Year up to the end of this season's All-Filipino, Arnulfo “Arnold” Tuadles’ caging has been characterized by ups and downs, but mostly ups, thank God.

Sensational was the best word to describe Tuadles last year for he was just that with a capital S. No other newcomer in the pro league could lay claim to the word other than him A graphic proof of this was his being named to the mythical five, dislodging the veteran Freddie Hubalde.

Right after the All-Filipino last year, Tuadles game slipped. Some said he’s gone swellhead. Others said he was too hot to handle. Some insiders insisted he was acting like a spoiled brat.

To these accusations, Tuadles could only exclaim in disbelief.

Fort and The Big J: End of a friendship (Dec. 19-26, 1980)

Sports Weekly Magazine took a close look at the war of words between Robert Jaworski and Fort Acuna, who was fired as Toyota coach during Game 3 of the 1980 PBA All-Filipino title series against Crispa for benching his long-time teammate.

Fort And The Big J

End of a friendship

Sports Weekly Magazine

Dec. 19-26, 1980

Their friendship daed back to their MICAA days when both were members of the Meralco ballclub.

When. the Reddy Kilowattmen were disbanded, Sonny Jaworski and Fort Acuna remained together as both were signed up by the Komatsu Komets, the first team fielded by the Delta group of companies in bigtime competition.

Game 87: Toyota 116, Walk Tall 109 (Sept. 4, 1980)

Toyota earned a finals berth at Crispa Walk Tall’s expense for the second straight conference and arrange a best-of-three duel with guest team Nicholas Stoodley for the 1980 PBA Invitational title.

Toyota, Stoodley win to gain finals

Bulletin Today

Published Friday Sept. 5, 1980

Toyota came through with just the needed winning margin last night in pulling off a 116-109 win over Crispa to arrange a best-of-three series with Nicholas Stoodley for the PBA Invitational championship at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Fashionmakers, scoring practically at will in the fourth quarter that saw them lead by as many as 24, routed Adidas, 103-87, in the first game.

Toyota and Nicholas Stoodley start their championship series at 7:30 p.m. today with the second match set tomorrow at the same time.

Game 86: Walk Tall 118, Toyota 109 (Aug. 26, 1980)

Import Silvester Cuyler carried Crispa Walk Tall past Toyota in their first round meeting and tie Adidas France for the lead in the 1980 PBA Invitational.

Crispa quint trips Toyota

By Ding Marcelo

Bulletin Today

Published Wednesday Aug. 27, 1980

Crispa gave Toyota one of its most rough beatings in their fabled rivalry last night, 118-109, as the Jeanmakers moved significantly to a share of the lead at the halfway mark of the PBA Invitational at the Araneta Coliseum.

Moving about with the smoothness of a finely tuned orchestra, the Jeansmakers exploded with unbelievable accuracy in the third quarter where they anchored their victory as the Tamaraws never regained their bearings after falling behind, 75-89, going into the last quarter.

The Incredible Abe King (June 29-July 6, 1979)

Abe King’s superb play for Toyota in the 1979 PBA All-Filipino semifinals, highlighted by his 60-point output against Crispa that set a record for the season, was featured in the Sports Weekly Magazine.

The Incredible Abe King

COMING OF AGE OF A ONETIME ‘PROBLEM BOY’

By Peter N. Acosta

Sports Weekly Magazine

June 29-July 6, 1979

Earlier in the elimination competitions of the current PBA All-Filipino, Abe King had tried to pull off one-handed dunks. Both times, all he got for his effort was a titter from the crowd as the ball hit the inner rim of the goal and bounced out.

But last June 16, in, of all games, the first encounter between the Toyota Tamaraws and the Crispa Redmanizers in the double round semifinals, King caught a pass from Ramon Fernandez and just when it seemed as all he would do with his solo stint under the basket was to go for a higher percentage lay-up shot, he twisted and rammed the ball in a reverse dunk ala Dr. J.

It was a stunning grandstand play by King and for it, he drew cheers from the packed house thatg attended the packed house that attended the third meeting in the 1979 All-Filipino between the league's two titans.

Game 62: Toyota 109, Crispa 104 (Dec. 5, 1978)

Toyota completed a sweep of the 1978 PBA third conference eliminations by beating Crispa, but much of the attention was on Tanduay’s win over U-Tex that put the Esquires in the championship series against the Tamaraws.

Tanduay tops U-Tex five

By Ding Marcelo

Bulletin Today

Published Wednesday Dec. 6, 1978

Tanduay ended a four-year quest for a championship berth last night by ramming down U-Tex, 98-92, to arrange a best-of-five showdown with Toyota for the PBA third conference title starting tomorrow.

The title-hungry Esquires leaned on the sprightly legs and steady fire of 34-year-old Freddie Webb to score the victory and assure Tanduay its loftiest finish in the league.

The Tamaraws completed a sweep of the elimination round with a 109-104 win over the slumping Crispa Redmanizers, who finished fourth in the elims with a 1-3 card.

Game 61: Toyota 130, Crispa 119 (Nov. 2, 1978)

Toyota frustrated Crispa behind a third quarter surge to create a tie for second behind Crispa with two playdates left in the 1978 PBA second conference semifinals.

U-Tex nips Tanduay; Toyota drubs Crispa

By Bert Eljera

Bulletin Today

Published Friday Nov. 3, 1978

Glenn McDonald shot 52 points — a new scoring record in the semifinal round in another stirring performance last night to spark U-Tex to an uphill 100-98 victory over Tanduay that earned for the Wranglers a tie for a slot in the finals of the PBA second conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

The victory — the Wranglers’ fourth straight — preceded Toyota’s vengeful 130-119 thumping of Crispa which put the Tamaraws back in serious contention for a berth in the two-team finals.

Toyota’s win placed the Tamaraws and the 400s dead even in second place with identical 2-2 cards, with a three-way tie for first place among U-Tex, Crispa and Toyota now a possibility.