1979 Royal Tru-Orange season

Last updated
1979   Royal Tru-Orange season
Head coach Edgardo Ocampo
Owner San Miguel Corporation
All Filipino Conference results
Record610
(37.5%)
PlaceN/A
Playoff finishN/A
Open Conference results
Record215
(80.8%)
Place1st
Playoff finishChampions
Invitational Conference results
Record14
(20%)
Place6th
Playoff finishN/A
Royal Tru-Orange seasons
  1978
1980  

The 1979 Royal Tru-Orange season was the 5th season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Contents

Transactions

ADDITIONS
Ramon Dizon, Danilo Salvador & Evalson Valencia Rookies signed

Championship

In the Second (Open) Conference, the Orangemen signed 6-7 Larry Pounds, a fifth-round draftee of the Golden State Warriors in 1975, and 6-11 Otto Moore, a veteran of NBA wars for nine seasons, as their imports. Royal emerge on top of the standings after the two-round eliminations with 13 wins and 3 losses and made it to the championship round by posting a 5-1 won-loss slate in the semifinals. On October 23, RTO defeated Crispa, 110–102, to reach the PBA finals for the first time in franchise history. [1]

On November 6, Royal Tru-Orange won their first PBA crown by defeating the Toyota Tamaraws, 102–101, rookie Ramon Dizon was the spark that ignited veterans on the team (Photographed here) Game 4 of the title playoffs for a 3–1 series victory. The Orangemen took the first two games, 104–99 and 100–95, the Tamaraws avoided a sweep by winning the third game, 99–98.

Royal Tru-Orange joins U/Tex Wranglers as the only other ballclub not named Crispa or Toyota, to have won a PBA title in the 1970s as RTO mentor and former olympian Edgardo Ocampo won his first championship as a head coach. [2]

Roster

1979 Royal Tru-Orange roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#POBNameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY–MM–DD)From
G/F 2 Flag of the Philippines.svg Maximino Baguio 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Cebu Tech
G 4 Flag of the Philippines.svg Paulino Velasco 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Visayas
F/C 5 Flag of the Philippines.svg Jesus Migalbin 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) San Agustin
F 6 Flag of the Philippines.svg Ricardo dela Peña 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
G 7 Flag of the Philippines.svg Antonio Torrente 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
G 8 Flag of the Philippines.svg Ramon Dizon 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) PSBA
F 12 Flag of the Philippines.svg Marlowe Jacutin 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Visayas
F 13 Flag of the Philippines.svg Teodulfo Gregorio 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Mapúa
G 14 Flag of the Philippines.svg Yoyong Martirez 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Southwestern-U
F/C 15 Flag of the Philippines.svg Rodolfo Lalota 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Mapúa
G 16 Flag of the Philippines.svg Leonardo Paguntalan 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Western Institute
F 17 Flag of the Philippines.svg Evalson Valencia 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Western Institute
G Flag of the Philippines.svg Danilo Salvador 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) San Sebastian
F/C Flag of the Philippines.svg Marte Samson 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Ateneo
F 25 Flag of the United States.svg Larry Pounds  (I)6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) Washington
C 34 Flag of the United States.svg Otto Moore  (I)6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) Texas
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (I) Import
    • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

References

  1. "When the San Miguel franchise won its first PBA title". rivalrynetwork.com.
  2. "A drink down memory lane". San Miguel Brewery Inc.