1980 PBA Open Conference finals

Last updated
1980 PBA Open Conference finals
TeamCoachWins
U/Tex Wranglers Tommy Manotoc 3
Toyota Tamaraws Fort Acuna 2
DatesJuly 24 – August 2, 1980
Television MBS
Radio network DWXL
PBA Open Conference finals chronology
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The 1980 PBA Open Conference finals was the best-of-5 basketball championship series of the 1980 PBA Open Conference, and the conclusion of the conference's playoffs.

Contents

U/Tex Wranglers wins their 2nd PBA title with a 3–2 series victory over Toyota Tamaraws. The deciding fifth game became known as the "last 16 seconds" when U/Tex wiped out a four-point lead by Toyota in regulation and forced the game into overtime. [1]

Qualification

U-Tex Wranglers Toyota Tamaraws
Finished 11–7 (.611), 4thEliminationsFinished 15–3 (.833), 1st
Finished 4–2 (.667), 1stSemifinalsFinished 4–2 (.667), tied for 2nd
TiebreakerWon against Walk Tall Jeans, 102–100

Games summary

Game 1

MBS
July 24
U/Tex Wranglers 110, Toyota Tamaraws 94
Pts: Lim Eng Beng 27
U/Tex leads series, 1–0

Game 2

MBS
July 26
U/Tex Wranglers 102, Toyota Tamaraws 107
Pts: Robert Jaworski 28
Series tied, 1–1

Sonny Jaworski scored a finals record eight triples and finished the game with 28 points. The Tamaraws trailed 35–40 when Jaworski flipped his first three-point shot in the second quarter. He followed it with two more triples and his third three-pointer push Toyota ahead by two, 44–42. The Tamaraws went ahead by seven points, 66–59, at the end of the second quarter with Jaworski firing three more three-point shots late in the period.

U/Tex twice tied Toyota early in the fourth and actually went ahead, 94–93. A 7–3 blast sparked by Jaworski's last three-point shot of the evening sent the Tamaraws back on top, 100–97. The Big J fouled out with 1:45 left and Toyota up by only three, 102–99. Francis Arnaiz and Abe King put together a five-point cluster that wrapped up the match for the Tamaraws.

Game 3

MBS
July 29
U-Tex Wranglers 103, Toyota Tamaraws 98
U/Tex leads series, 2–1

Game 4

MBS
July 31
U/Tex Wranglers 92, Toyota Tamaraws 113
Series tied, 2–2

Game 5

MBS
August 2
U/Tex Wranglers 99 , Toyota Tamaraws 98 (OT)
Scoring by quarter: 25–15, 27–27, 22–28, 20–24,  Overtime: 5–4
U/Tex wins series, 3–2

Toyota’s 92–87 edge on Jaworski’s triple was wiped out by Lim Eng Beng’s three-point play as he had already released his shot and drew Jaworski’s sixth and final foul.

Francis Arnaiz' go-ahead layup gave Toyota a 94–90 edge with 16 seconds left in regulation. The Tamaraws were on their way of clinching the title when a series of mental lapses allowed the Wranglers to come back. With still three fouls away from the penalty, the Tamaraws allowed import Aaron James to drive unmolested towards the basket with an undergoal stab, a timeout was called by Toyota coach Fort Acuna with time down to 11 seconds. As the Tamaraws inbounded, the Wranglers went on a press and anticipated the play, Arnie Tuadles was doubled team by Lim Eng Beng and Matthew Gaston, relayed to Abe King on the other side of the front court, Glenn McDonald intercepted the ball and pounced on for a breakaway with five seconds to go, he was fouled by Arnaiz going to the hoop with two seconds remaining in regulation, McDonald calmly sank the two free throws to extend the game into overtime.

A see-saw battle ensued in the extension period with both teams obviously feeling the championship pressure, Bogs Adornado converted on a long attempt with 1:25 left in the ballgame, which later proved to be the winning basket as both teams would commit a series of misses until the final buzzer sounded. [2]

1980 PBA Open Conference Champions

U/Tex Wranglers
Second title

Rosters

U/Tex Wranglers roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.
F 5 Flag of the Philippines.svg Roy Deles 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) San Beda
G 6 Flag of the Philippines.svg Ricardo Pineda 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Letran
G 7 Flag of the Philippines.svg Manuel Pineda 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Letran
F 8 Flag of the Philippines.svg Jaime Noblezada 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) San Agustin
F/C 9 Flag of the Philippines.svg Jaime Taguines 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Holy Angel
F 12 Flag of the Philippines.svg Reynaldo Pages 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) De La Salle
G/F 13 Flag of the Philippines.svg Oscar Rocha 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) San Sebastian
G 14 Flag of the Philippines.svg Lim Eng Beng 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) De La Salle
F 15 Flag of the Philippines.svg Rodolfo Segura 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Adamson
F/C 17 Flag of the Philippines.svg David Regullano 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Letran
F 20 Flag of the United States.svg Glenn McDonald  (I)6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Long Beach State
G 22 Flag of the Philippines.svg Matthew Gaston 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Ateneo
F/C 23 Flag of the United States.svg Aaron James  (I)6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) Grambling State
G/F 33 Flag of the Philippines.svg Bogs Adornado 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) UST
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (I) Import
    • Cruz Roja.svg Injured
Toyota Tamaraws roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.
C 1 Flag of the United States.svg Andrew Fields  (I)6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) Cheyney
F/C 6 Flag of the Philippines.svg Abe King 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) San Beda
G 7 Flag of the Philippines.svg Robert Jaworski 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) UE
G 8 Flag of the Philippines.svg Francis Arnaiz 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Ateneo
G 9 Flag of the Philippines.svg Eduardo Merced 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) José Rizal
F/C 10 Flag of the Philippines.svg Ramon Fernandez 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) San Carlos
G/F 11 Flag of the Philippines.svg Arnie Tuadles 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Visayas
G 12 Flag of the Philippines.svg Pablo Javier 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Far Eastern
G 14 Flag of the Philippines.svg Quirino Salazar 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Letran
F 18 Flag of the Philippines.svg Emerito Legaspi 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) UE
F 20 Flag of the Philippines.svg Nicanor Bulaong 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Far Eastern
F 41 Flag of the Philippines.svg Leopoldo Herrera 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Wesleyan Philippines
F/C 43 Flag of the United States.svg Bruce King  (I)6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) Iowa
G/F 44 Flag of the Philippines.svg Danny Florencio 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) UST
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

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

Broadcast notes

Game Play-by-play Analyst
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4
Game 5Dick IldefonsoEmy Arcilla and Lauro Mumar

References

  1. "Ginebra's first title, U/Tex's comeback among notable '80s PBA finals". ESPN.com. 2020-04-02. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  2. "Trivia on Big J".

The biggest meltdowns in PBA finals history Archived 2018-07-21 at the Wayback Machine @FHM.com.ph