MICAA '73: A Postscript - Heroes, Highlights of a Stormy Season (Sports World, 1973)

Sports World Magazine

September 8, 1973

E.A. Perez de Tagle

 

 

It’s what could have been time for the MICAA, and Sports World pinpoints five incidents which in no little way contributed to Toyota’s magnificent triumph in its maiden year and only in its third tournament (including the time it played as Komatsu).

 

These are:

 

1.     The decommissioning of Willie Adornado of Crispa on a fractured left hand for seven games.

 

2.    The banning for life of Rudy Soriano and Rey Franco of Crispa.

 

3.    “Lax officiating” in the second game between YCO and Universal Textile.

 

4.    Orly Bauzon’s “Shot of the Year” without which Toyota would have made an early exit during the Comets’ semifinal playoff with San Miguel Corporation.

 

5.    Roger Melencio’s suffering a fractured rib in the second game of the championship series and his being lost to the Concepcion cause in the rubber match.

 

The 1973 MICAA campaign was, as far as memory serves, the most extensive, with two round-robins among 10 teams for an average of 18 games per team. As recounted in last week’s issue, Manila Bank played 15 and forfeited three, Squibb, CFC, Crispa, Mariwasa and U/Tex with 18 each: SMC 22, Yco 23, and both Toyota and Concepcion 24 each.

 

During which Mariwasa, the defending champion, strung up five wins in a row only to lose eight of its nine succeeding games including a 95-85 upset by Manilabank and finish seventh from the top. And Ciso Bernardo’s Consolidated Foods Corporation quintet upset SMC, 87-80 only to yield to Squibb’s only victory in the campaign in the Prestos’ very next outing by 92-91.

 

As the semifinalists took over, Squibb stood at 1-17, Manilabank 3-15, CFC 4-14, Mariwasa 8-10, Crispa 10-8 and U/Tex 11-7.

 

Crispa was the antonym of luck personified. With four wins behind them, the Redmanizers were leading the Concepcion Motorolas when Bogs Adornado tripped off Jimmy Noblezada. The resulting fall fractured Adornado’s left hand and Crispa went on to lose the game and five of their next seven.

 

Then, with Adornado back in the lineup and the Crispans still in contention, Rudy Soriano and Rey Franco were adjudged guilty of point-shaving in games played during the MICAA All-Filipino and they joined six other Crispans previously banned for life in the sidelines. Without them, Crispa lost two of its last three games and finished two games out of fourth place.

 

 

 

Note that before the Adornado disaster, the Redmanizers had whipped Toyota, 80-78 and YCO, 81-69; that Danny Floro’s charges only lost to SMC in overtime, 88-86 (with Soriano and SMC’s Boy Velasco being thrown out of the game for exchanging blows, each getting automatic three-game suspensions), and by 94-92 the next time around. (Crispa’s luck continued to sour even after the league ended. One of its mainstays, Fortunato Co, was found guilty of point-shaving and joined the ranks of the banned. Comparatively luckier were Jesse Sullano of Mariwasa and Ramon Lucindo of Concepcion, who each drew one-year suspensions for failing to notify basketball authorities of attempts to bribe them into shaving points.)

 

Crispa with an intact lineup would have been a tough match for any MICAA team.

 

U/Tex had the bad luck of starting off against top competition and lost four in a row before notching a first win. It was 4-5 coming home, when the Weavers started playing the games of their lives. First, Concepcion 81-78, next Toyota 82-76, then SMC 78-71.

 

U/Tex was in the process of adding YCO to its list of victims when Coach Lauro Mumar at a crucial point of the game recalled son Lawrence to the bench and kept him there. Without Larry, the Weavers fast lost ground and U/Tex absorbed one of only two defeats in second-time-around play.

 

Mumar explained afterwards that he took Larry out “to save him from mayhem.”

 

U/Tex finished a win shy of figuring in a fourth place playoff with Concecpion and SMC, and the last was seen – for the tournament – of Bay Mumar’s patented slowbreak tactics.

 

The Braves were ahead, 76-75, with seven seconds to play when the Comets made their last play. It was the second game of the semifinal playoff between SMC and Toyota, with the Braves toting a 70-62 first win. Alberto Reynoso dribbled toward goal and the SMC defense drifted with him. Reynoso passed back, to Orly Bauzon. With the big bulk of Big Boy as screen, Bauzon had a clear view of the basket. He jumped, and his basket in the last four seconds of play gave Toyota a 77-76 victory.

 

Toyota was back in the race, and there was no stopping the Comets from there.

 

(Joy) Dionisio did a Bauzon in the second game of the championship playoff series to give Concepcion a 73-72 triumph. The shot also came in the last four seconds, a lay-in after Dionisio managed to spin away from Bauzon.

 

But Melencio was under an x-ray apparatus at the Makati Medical Center and the attending doctor’s worst fear was realized: the 10^th rib on the left side was fractured. He had rammed against the massive leg of Big Boy on a lay-up and crashed to the floor with a thud.

 

Without Melencio, the Concepcion defense lost cohesiveness and the triumvirate of Big Boy Reynoso, Ed Camus and Mon Fernandez dominated the backboards in the finale, and only Concepcion obstinacy and never-say-die spirit made it a game until the last quarter when the Comets decisively pulled away.

 

 

Team Profile – Toyota: Shaky Start, Stretch Drive (Sports World, 1973)

Sports World Magazine

August 11-17, 1973

E.A. Perez De Tagle

It was as big a bash as could be, had any old noontime that press conference that was to propel the Komatsu Komets into the limelight of bigtime Philippine basketball last week of March. Only, it was not to be, because the morning dailies carried the news that Komatsu, together with E.R. Squibb and Consolidated Foods Corporation was still outside the MICAA looking in. So all there was for newsmen that day were a terrific lunch, a more terrific bevy of beauties, and Dante Silverio, wearing instead of familiar garb as one of motor racing’s aces a barong with the new bodyfit cut – affable, somewhat apologetic, at the abrupt turn of events but determined to make as good a go of the affair as could be.

 

If the frustration hurt, Dante didn’t show it. The show went on and the brand-new Komets were introduced.

Robert Jaworski, Alberto Reynoso, Fortunato Acuña, Francis Arnaiz, Cristino Reynoso, Ramon Fernandez, Rodolfo Segura, Ulysses Rodriguez, Edilberto Canamo, Edward Camus. That was nearly five months ago.

 

When the team was formed, Jaworski and Big Boy Reynoso were not yet sure they could play in the MICAA for they were nine months away from completing a two-year suspension for going after referees rather than the goal. The word was that the MICAA, regardless of how it acted on Komatsu et al’s petition for reconsideration, would insist in the event Komatsu was accepted that the two fully serve out their suspension.

 

All of which is water under the bridge. The MICAA reconsidered and took in all three teams. The MICAA also reconsidered and allowed the Big J and Big Boy to play. And now, Komatsu turned Toyota and Komets turned Comets are on the verge of a Cinderella finish in their first year of action.

 

But if anybody should say that all it takes to win a championship is to get Jaworski, Reynoso, Bauzon, Fernandez, Segura, Arnaiz and mix, Dante Silverio will be first to say not on your life. For the making of a team, he found out (Toyota Coach Claustro Verona whom everybody calls Nilo being a veteran cager knew all time) meant a lot of sweating it out. Practice, practice and more practice. Exposure to competition – the team grabbed every opportunity to play.

 

A good word from friends went for an invitation to join in from the Panamin organizer, Manda Elizalde. And Toyota (as Komatsu) was in its first tournament.

Was there a fairy godmother? Did the slipper fit? If there was, she didn’t show, and the slipper was big enough to wobble in. In other words, the guys now known as Comets dropped five games in a row to bring up the rear in the standings with YCO winning the crown.

 

The next tournament – the National Invitational – the Comets sat out, and they would have sat out the last meet for the 1972-73 season, too – the Palarong Pilipino – but for the failure of the UAAP to field a complete team. The university selection was scrapped, and Toyota moved into the slot.

 

It was much the same glory for their first game as they lost to Mariwasa, 79-84. But Bauzon was now playing together with Fernandez whom San Miguel Corporation decided to release. SMC must have rued it for Toyota scored Victory No. 1 in official play against the SMC Braves, 73-66.

 

Crispa and Concepcion prevailed against the newcomer, but the Comets dashed the NCAA selection, 102-77, and humbled YCO, 87-82, for a 3-3 showing. Dante and Co. were ready for the MICAA.

 

Saddled early with a setback (by Crispa) after an initial win against Universal Textile on MICAA opening day, June 3, the Comets next won six of seven matches to finish the first half of the marathon 18-game preliminary round second from the top on a 7-2 record, bettered only by YCO’s 8-1.

 

 

Like some other big teams, Toyota fell victim to Lauro Mumar’s foxy tactics in second half play, but as of this writing, appear certain of second place in qualifying round standings. At worst, it would figure in a three-way tie for second with Concepcion and SMC, a win in its last two games will cement second place, behind YCO which definitely has nailed first place regardless of the outcome of the Painters’ game with the Comets Thursday.

 

Why has Toyota progressed from whipping boy to championship form in just a matter of months? It was just a matter of weaving the team together, Nilo Verona would tell you. For the team on paper had everything: height in Fernandez, Camus, Jaworski, the Reynoso brothers, Bauzon, Acuña, Segura, Carlos Concepcion. Bauzon, Jaworski and Arnaiz can be excellent as court generals. Further, Toyota’s tall men except for Big Boy and a couple of others are fast and rugged.

 

Segura is beginning to blossom into a receiving whiz. Arnaiz’s outside shooting is deadly, Jaworski, despite a tendency to go individualistic, is not the Big J for nothing: he has the shots, the drive, the speed, the bulk. So long as he controls his temper, he is among the very best.

 

Big Boy, despite a bulging middle, has shown he is the best exponent of the hook – with either hand – hereabouts. His give-and-go plays with younger brother, Cristino, shattered many a tight defense.

 

Fernandez is impeccable when he wants to be. Belligerent to the point of hurting at first, he has foregone rough play in his last few games (his latest tactic was harmless: he tickled Fortunato Co just under the right floating rib everytime the Fortune Cookie kid had the ball) and concentrated on assists, at which he is smooth and slick.

 

Bauzon, seemingly relutctant to take shots because of so many good shots around is among the best spotters when he decides to take aim. A little encouragement from Verona is probably what Bauzon needs to start pumping in those long toms of his.

 

Sunday night, just after YCO throttled Concepcion’s bid to be YCO’s third conqueror in the tournament, the Comets lazed away practice time. Meaning they didn’t exert too much efforts, just loosened their muscles. But they were impressive in built, in movement.

 

“Ang lalaki (how big!),” exclaimed a boy trapped by Sunday night’s hard rains.

 

So long as it’s not their heads that grow, big things are bound to come out all right for the Comets.

Jaworski: A Star is Reborn (Sports World, 1973)

Sports World Magazine

August 11-17, 1973

Tessa M. Jazmines

It’s your move. Now that the Toyota Comets have bagged the 1973 MICAA title and there’s nothing left to do but sit back and analyze (or if you want, gnash your teeth in sorrow or click your heels in glee) … it’s your move to comment on how the Comets did it.

 

Specifically, let’s concentrate on Bobby Jaworski – by far the most talked about – if not the most controversial – Comet. Did he play a key role in the Toyota drive for the title? Was his comeback successful?

 

As usual, snoopy Sports World didn’t stand still. Like a neighborhood wag, it travelled from door to door (at least a few) to ask some basketball crazy folks what they thought about the Big J’s performance. Did it rate a smile from Miss Universe? Or a cruel sock from George Foreman?

 

Ten people all in all were asked for their two cents’ worth. Four were basketball players. The rest were fans.

 

“He’s one of Toyota’s main weapons,” said a long and lean forward / guard from one of the MICAA’s top teams. His hustling, rebounding and shooting were key factors in their success. Besides, their coach displayed no over confidence. He always used the best players.”

 

“I don’t like him. Ma-ere siya sa hardcourt,” a female fan wailed. “But yeah, he was very instrumental in winning the championship. He knows how to play good, physical basketball.”

 

AN out-of-town priest who digs basketball and plays it too had this to say, “I agree wholeheartedly that the Big J carried Toyota to success.” And the reason for this, he says, “is because Bobby J makes the all-important clutch hits. Lalo na kung yung mga bago ang kalaban niya, he can handle them well. He uses his body to good advantage.” Father what’s-his-name continued, “Only a strong man can stop Jaworski.”

 

There were negative impressions, though. “Most of the time, nakakasira siya. He’s an individual player,” said a glamourous femal fan.

 

“Of course, he’s one of the key men,” said another. “And definitely, he’s a big contribution. But sometimes, he becomes the goat. Bigla na lang maraming errors.”

 

 

A basketball star as slim as a reed was also quite skeptical about Jaworski’s performance. “He’s quite instrumental in bagging the championship,” he says, ‘but he was also the one who – you know – made the team lose during the second game. He can help the team, no doubt, but he has a tendency to be individualistic. “Yun ang ikinatatalo ng team.”

 

“He starts rallies, fires up the whole team,” was the opinion of a cute chick. “He definitely made Toyota win. Verona would put him in at critical moments and he would trouble shoot He can do it because he has the speed and the bulk. Kayang-kaya.”

 

Sports World asked two other players if they thought Bobby Jaworski propelled the Comets to victory. “Hindi naman masyado,” said a dusky hero. “If you ask me all of them played well – especially Ed Camus. Biro mo yun apat niyang hook shots e pumapasok.”

 

The other – a good-looking guard – concurred. “It’s not really Jaworski who played a key role on championship night. It was Camus.” And he proceeded with an elaborate analysis.

 

“Camus delivered the goods in the first half. He shot, rebounded and did his job as center. Jaworski then was already handicapped by two fouls so Camus took over. With Camus in, hindi na nahirapan si Reynoso…and Camus clicked.”

 

“Not one man can claim credit for that Toyota win. There were many factors involved. For one thing, the players played well. Coach Verona formed the team well. A very important factor is Dante Silverio. He was very much concerned about his team – financially, morally, socially. He’s an athlete too and knows how to treat fellow athletes…kaya ka-vibes tuloy niya yung players.”

 

Almost everybody thought, however, that Bobby Jaworski made a successful comeback. “He’s definitely one of thebest players we have,” said the cute chick.

 

To some, however, Bobby Jaworski didn’t change at all. “He’s still the same,” said the reedy player. “Bobby Jaworski is the same person,” said the forward / guard. “He’s rugged – and he added quickly – but not dirty.”

 

And that’s how the cookie crumbled when an assorted group of fans and idols were asked about Bobby Jaworski’s campaign in MICAA ’73. The consensus seems to be that Bobby is good and should be an important ingredient to any Toyota game if the Comets have anyi intentions of winning.

 

Bobby Jaworski alone, however, cannot spell victory. Like they say in the rules, teamwork is the sure-fire way to success.

 

Bobby Jaworski, nevertheless, makes very good conversation piece for people – whether for him or against him. And one thing’s sure – feelings felt for the guy are intense both ways, never bland.

 

Bobby Jaworski, after all, is not just any basketball player. As the cute chick – who by the way is no Toyota fan – says of him: “He’s more than a basketball player. He’s a star.”

MICAA Revisited: 24 Days after the Crispa Six Scandal (Sports World, 1973)

Sports World Magazine

August 4, 1973

Tessa M. Jazmines

 

 

            What’s with the basketball nuts after the cage fix scandal? Did enthusiasm cool and Coliseum attendance wane? How did the sports buffs take it? What say the ladies and the hero-worshipping kids?

 

            To get the answer SW turned on its radar and acquired a pair of parabolic ears. Sharpened its vision and observed, observed, observed. It watched the crowd at the Coliseum. Listened to loud whispers in the comfort rooms. Sometimes, it used ESP to detect nuances of emotions behind tightly-set lips. More often than not, it asked downright, snoopy questions.

 

            Was your enthusiasm for basketball affected by this cage fix thing? A comely lady called Leila was asked. “It didn’t affect me at all,” she said, “because it didn’t affect the team I’m rooting for.”

 

            “Yes,” a saucer-eyed TV fan named Tiks said sadly when asked the same question. “Everytime I watch the games now, I can’t help wondering whether it’s an act or it’s for real. It saddens me to know that the players are not playing according to their true abilities and displaying their real talents.

 

 

 

            Actually, most of those interviewed displayed unabated interest for the sport. Almost all were just as enthusiastic about watching the games now as before the scandal broke out.

 

            Do you still want to watch the games? SW asked someone who looked like a basketball-smitten teenager. “Oh yes!” came the animated reply. “In fact, I’m exhausting all possible channels to get tickets.”

 

            Others empathized with the involved players. “It’s really going to be hard on those who were caught,” one said.

 

            Some – particularly an artist named Rody – displayed a sharpened sense of justice: “It’s going to affect the performance of the Philippine team,” he said. “But the life ban penalty is good. Masama talaga yun ginawa nila, eh.”

 

            Another fellow’s comment dealt more on the philosophical plane: “A person is only as good as his credibility. A man’s honesty is the key to his credibility. If you don’t have that, who’s going to trust you?” And with an emotion-packed “Sayang,” he shook his head.

 

            Others were so downright mad they wanted the investigation extended to include not noly players but also coaches and referees. It is the children, however, who idolized the fallen players who are most pathetic of all. A mother of four, all Crispa fans, said her children were heartbroken about their heroes. A little girl feels so ashamed and persecuted in school by classmates who taunt her about the players in her favored team.

 

            It seems that those who watch basketball for the thrill of it, who cheer for spirit and root for love – particularly for the team concerned – were greatly affected. On the other hand, those who favor other teams and who would rather think of the whole thing as a minor snag in the tapestry of life just shrug the matter off, view matters realistically, and go on enjoying the games where they left off.

 

            The crowd has not thinned out at the Rizal Memorial either. They still come in packs and droves. The lower box seats still get sold out, and the galleries still teem with people who brave the fickle weather and the oppressive stadium heat.

 

 

 

            Of course, as one enthusiast matter of factly put it, “Kaya maraming nagtitiyaga diyan, hindi dahil sa laro, kundi sa pusta,” – there is a suggestion that betting is very much part of RP basketball.

 

            There is a common consensus among the buffs that quite a number of undesirable activities and characters abound in local bigtime basketball. Almost all, however, are thankful that the MICAA and the BAP, together with the Metrocom have given this matter the necessary attention and applied the necessary pressures to clean the sport of its dirt.

 

            No, it doesn’t look like basketball will lose its following after the cage fix thing. On the contrary, some are even optimistic that the steps being taken at present will improve the sport and give the honest-to-goodness fans who don’t watch the games for money something to shout about.

 

            Soon enough, the hardcourt fistfights, bloody noses and cracked wrists may be suffered again for the real thing. We’d all love that. Wouldn’t you?

1973 MICAA Finals Numbers: Toyota Comets beat Concepcion Motorolas, 81-75 (Game, 1973)

Game Magazine

August, 1973

Fort Yerro

 

 

Statistics are like tarot cards; properly read, they tell a story. Thursday’s frenetic finale of the MICAA championship series, as pieced together from assorted, seemingly unrelated figures, is a story serving as a primer on the Mathematics of Defeat.

 

“The hardest way is the sweetest way,” intoned Coach Valentin “Tito” Eduque of the Concepcion Motorolas before Game Three with the Toyota Comets. Little did he know that the wrath of math would fall on his charges. For sweet indeed was the 73-72 pulse-pounder the Motorolas carved out of Game Two. The price of that victory, however, was high.

 

Concepcion lost Rogelio Melencio who, after his rib-snapping fall in the second half, painfully watched Game Three from the bench. Melencio was his team’s top rebounder for the best -of-three series, averaging 5 rebounds a game. He had good reason to watch Game Three from the sidelines than on delayed telecast from a hospital bed: his teammates had dedicated the game to him.

 

 

 

The Motorolas had banked on the dreaded artillery, featuring Arthur Herrera and lanky Jaime Mariano, to neutralize Toyota’s bulk and height. Post-game figures proved the strategy wrong. Howitzers against Sherman tanks was a mismatch.

 

Concepcion started Game Three with Mariano’s gun ablaze. He converted 7 of his 10 attempts from the field, and missed only 2 of his 6 charities in the first half. Ramon Lucindo and Alfonso Marquez provided fire support. Hotshot Herrera settled for a single lay-up.

 

For the Toyotas, it was Camus weaving wonders with his hook shots. Cristino Reynoso and Ompong Segura were also swishing the nets. Ramon Fernandez delivered twice from beneath, but he ran into foul trouble and sat out the rest of the first half. Lemontime score was in Concepcion’s favor, 45-42. The howitzers were holding out against the Shermans.

 

Sonny Jaworski took over Toyota’s scoring chore in the second half, notching 14 points. Mariano, who hurt a finger, slackened, sinking only 4 out of 10 field tries. His total output for the night: 26 points, a game high. His accuracy from the field was 46.1%.

 

 

 

Mariano had a spree, but the rest of the team were badly off. Herrera never found his bearings, shackled by a string of guards thrown at him. The Comets outscored the Motolas in the second half, 39-30, cashing in on six Concepcion errors to wrest the lead in the third quarter and ice Game Three. Toyota had better accuracy from the field, 41%, from 33 successful shots out of 80 attempts. Concepcion registered 37% (30 out of 81). The Motorolas were not shooting as expected, but that’s not even half of the story.

 

On the foul line, where a player shoots free of any interference, the Motorolas converted only 15 of 24 attempts for a poor 60%. Toyota, awarded 18 gift shots, muffed only 3 for 83.3%.

 

A look at the rebounding column dispels all doubts as to the Comets’ source of strength. They outrebounded the Motorolas, 45-29, with 6’3, 205-pound Alberto Reynoso and well-positioned Orlando Bauzon hauling down 5 each. Jaime Noblezada, built like a stone, snatched 5 rebounds for the Motorolas; Mariano, stretching his 6’4 frame, grabbed 4.

 

And that’s how the numbers told their tale.

 

(A special note of thanks to Lourdes Estrella, a friend of GAME, for helping out with the figures.)