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By Emilio S. Neri Jr.
Scoreboard Sept. 11-17, 1991
At the start of the best of five series for the 1991 PBA All Filipino championship, a lot of bettors placed their money on the Purefoods Tender Juicy /Hotdogs to wallop Diet Sarsi and cop their first ever All Filipino crown.
Obviously, it was because the Hotdogs exuded an atmosphere of invincibility having landed the lone outright berth for the finals. And undoubtedly, it had the most potent brew of frontliners in the history of the PBA and its first five was about the best there is in the land today.
Pitted man-for man, the Sizzlers didn’t really enjoy the fact that they had slim chances of pulling the rug from under Purefoods. What more, their top big man Yoyoy Villamin was still a shadow of his own hulking self after incurring a knee injury towards the close of the semifinal round.
Yet Diet Sarsi was uncowed by the intimidating presence of the Hotdogs. Well, they won twice in the three times they met in the tournament, and this fact would not be disregarded that easily. Winning three times more in five tries isn’t really that hard.
And so the finals fired off and the Sizzlers quickly shamed their detractors by pulling off one of the most stirring triumphs in the entire two-year stint in the pro loop. Diet Sarsi made full use of ex-Hotdog Jack Tanuan in the waning moments of the contest to bring down the vaunted Purefoods juggernaut in Game 1 to the sweet tune of 111-107.
But the aggressive Hotdogs refused to concede and asserted that they were the better team. In Game 2. Purefoods played as if their valuable existence was on the line and walloped Diet Sarsi, 112-102 to level the count at 1-1 and thereby practically send the series to a best-of-three affair.
The rousing victory seemed to have lulled the Hotdogs, making them lose their composure in Game 3. with former Purefoods player Tanuan and Al Solis leading the Sizzlers to an end game rampage, Diet Sarsi edged out the four-time All-Filipino conference finalists, 109-105.
It was now double match point for coach Yeng Guiao’s charges.” Isang tsamab na lang,” was what the young mentor could exclaim right after the pulsating conquest of the league’s toughest squad. Diet Sarsi had overturned all obstacles and defied expectations to lead Purefoods, 2 games to 1, and be in a position to clinch the gold.
Yet Tender Juicy Hotdogs coach Ely Capacio remained unmoved even in the face of adversity. His cocky attitude never diminished in intensity even in the face of ultimate defeat. “Even when we were behind 2-1, I never felt that we would lose the championship,” he remarked later.
In game 4, the Sizzlers started cautiously. They were so absorbed by playing it safe that they forgot about scoring themselves. Boy Cabahug, the Purefoods spark plug that has a reputation to be a one man wrecking crew when his temperature rises, strung up ten points in the early going to give the hotdogs a quick 16-7 advantage in the first quarter.
However, the Sizzlers recovered and even led, 29-28, as another former Purefoods player Pido Jarencio returned fire. But that was all the Sizzlers could show in the first 24 minutes of play. Elmer Reyes, the only ex-Sizzler among the Hotdogs, gave a 36-31 lead to Purefoods, which the 1990 3rd conference champs never relinquished until the end. At the final buzzer, the hotdogs leveled the count at 2-2 with a rousing 115-105 conquest.
It was sheer teamwork that made the day for the Hotdogs. With all of its coach Ely Capacio’s men including reservist Harmon Codinera and Jun Tan playing in sync, it was a virtually impossible task for the Sizzlers to turn back the rising tide of Purefoods unrest.
Now Purefoods and Diet Sarsi were locked in an inevitable collison in Game 5. This 48-minute (or longer) ballgame will determine which among the two corporate rivals will become the new All-Filipino champion.
It rained hard at the ULTRA on the first day of September afternoon yet more than 9,000 people came to see the Hotdogs and the Sizzlers mix it up like there was no tomorrow. In the first quarter, the tension and the intensity of both teams were self-evident as they fought a close battle. After 12 minutes, Solis and company were precariously ahead, 26-23.
The Sizzlers continued their domination of Purefoods early in the second quarter. And De Guzman racked up six straight points at the start to give Diet Sarsi its biggest lead of the game, 32-23.
But Purefoods was quick to bounce back and with Boy Cabahug initiating the coup, Purefoods gained some headway but still found its efforts a bit short as the Sizzlers took the half at 56-53.
Then the Hotdogs rolled off their vaunted fastbreaking foray at the start of the third period. Cabahug gave a 57-56 advantage for the Hotdogs in their first taste of the upperhand before De Guzman turned the tide for 63-59 lead for the Sizzlers.
But Purefoods pushed on their running attack to seize the lead back, 75-72, enroute to taking the quarter, 87-83.
The fourth period saw Patrimonio leading his teammates to a 99-91 advantage before De Guzman keyed off a 5-0 run to trim the deficit to just three, 99-96. at that point, the Sizzlers were tired a lot. Their big men were hurting. Villamin was still limping, Saldana was still bothered by the harassment he got from some police men three nights before and Sonny Cabatu was hardly a factor up front.
And so the Hotdogs capitalized on this Achilles’ heel of the Sizzlers even without bull-strong Nelson Asaytono, who left the game on account of six fouls midway the final quarter. Glenn Capacio and Joey Santamaria provided the finishing touches in the midst of flubbed offensives of Tanuan and Solis, whose guns miserably sputtered in the final seconds.
In the end the Hotdogs dieted the Sarsi offenses and prevailed, 107-100. Victory was theirs at last after qualifying for the All-Filipino finals for the fourth time in four seasons in the league. Sarsi had displayed tenacity in its triumphs and even Guiao was proud his boys had this edge over their opponents. But in the very end, it was the same tenacity that Capacio’s boys possessed and what his men now lacked spelled the outcome.
“This is our date with history even if it came the hard way,” was how coach Capacio could express the feelings kept deep inside.
Capacio always had the feeling that Purefoods will win the championship. It never occurred in his mind that hey would let the All-Filipino crown slip their grips for the fourth straight time. His confidence was so true that he had boldly announced it for the whole nation to hear.
“Kahit kainin kong mga salita ko, hindi ko babaguhin. Bakit ko naman babawiin yung sinabi ko?” said Capacio in defending his vocally cocksure attitude in the entirety of the five-game series.
Now that the party is over and Purefoods had bagged its bacon, its on to the Third conference which commences after a two-week lull.
“Huwag na muna nating pag-usapan yan. Right now, me and the boys need a vacation,” was how Capacio summed up his present thoughts in mind.
article posted From: idolkosicap of mypba.com
Scoreboard Sept. 11-17, 1991
At the start of the best of five series for the 1991 PBA All Filipino championship, a lot of bettors placed their money on the Purefoods Tender Juicy /Hotdogs to wallop Diet Sarsi and cop their first ever All Filipino crown.
Obviously, it was because the Hotdogs exuded an atmosphere of invincibility having landed the lone outright berth for the finals. And undoubtedly, it had the most potent brew of frontliners in the history of the PBA and its first five was about the best there is in the land today.
Pitted man-for man, the Sizzlers didn’t really enjoy the fact that they had slim chances of pulling the rug from under Purefoods. What more, their top big man Yoyoy Villamin was still a shadow of his own hulking self after incurring a knee injury towards the close of the semifinal round.
Yet Diet Sarsi was uncowed by the intimidating presence of the Hotdogs. Well, they won twice in the three times they met in the tournament, and this fact would not be disregarded that easily. Winning three times more in five tries isn’t really that hard.
And so the finals fired off and the Sizzlers quickly shamed their detractors by pulling off one of the most stirring triumphs in the entire two-year stint in the pro loop. Diet Sarsi made full use of ex-Hotdog Jack Tanuan in the waning moments of the contest to bring down the vaunted Purefoods juggernaut in Game 1 to the sweet tune of 111-107.
But the aggressive Hotdogs refused to concede and asserted that they were the better team. In Game 2. Purefoods played as if their valuable existence was on the line and walloped Diet Sarsi, 112-102 to level the count at 1-1 and thereby practically send the series to a best-of-three affair.
The rousing victory seemed to have lulled the Hotdogs, making them lose their composure in Game 3. with former Purefoods player Tanuan and Al Solis leading the Sizzlers to an end game rampage, Diet Sarsi edged out the four-time All-Filipino conference finalists, 109-105.
It was now double match point for coach Yeng Guiao’s charges.” Isang tsamab na lang,” was what the young mentor could exclaim right after the pulsating conquest of the league’s toughest squad. Diet Sarsi had overturned all obstacles and defied expectations to lead Purefoods, 2 games to 1, and be in a position to clinch the gold.
Yet Tender Juicy Hotdogs coach Ely Capacio remained unmoved even in the face of adversity. His cocky attitude never diminished in intensity even in the face of ultimate defeat. “Even when we were behind 2-1, I never felt that we would lose the championship,” he remarked later.
In game 4, the Sizzlers started cautiously. They were so absorbed by playing it safe that they forgot about scoring themselves. Boy Cabahug, the Purefoods spark plug that has a reputation to be a one man wrecking crew when his temperature rises, strung up ten points in the early going to give the hotdogs a quick 16-7 advantage in the first quarter.
However, the Sizzlers recovered and even led, 29-28, as another former Purefoods player Pido Jarencio returned fire. But that was all the Sizzlers could show in the first 24 minutes of play. Elmer Reyes, the only ex-Sizzler among the Hotdogs, gave a 36-31 lead to Purefoods, which the 1990 3rd conference champs never relinquished until the end. At the final buzzer, the hotdogs leveled the count at 2-2 with a rousing 115-105 conquest.
It was sheer teamwork that made the day for the Hotdogs. With all of its coach Ely Capacio’s men including reservist Harmon Codinera and Jun Tan playing in sync, it was a virtually impossible task for the Sizzlers to turn back the rising tide of Purefoods unrest.
Now Purefoods and Diet Sarsi were locked in an inevitable collison in Game 5. This 48-minute (or longer) ballgame will determine which among the two corporate rivals will become the new All-Filipino champion.
It rained hard at the ULTRA on the first day of September afternoon yet more than 9,000 people came to see the Hotdogs and the Sizzlers mix it up like there was no tomorrow. In the first quarter, the tension and the intensity of both teams were self-evident as they fought a close battle. After 12 minutes, Solis and company were precariously ahead, 26-23.
The Sizzlers continued their domination of Purefoods early in the second quarter. And De Guzman racked up six straight points at the start to give Diet Sarsi its biggest lead of the game, 32-23.
But Purefoods was quick to bounce back and with Boy Cabahug initiating the coup, Purefoods gained some headway but still found its efforts a bit short as the Sizzlers took the half at 56-53.
Then the Hotdogs rolled off their vaunted fastbreaking foray at the start of the third period. Cabahug gave a 57-56 advantage for the Hotdogs in their first taste of the upperhand before De Guzman turned the tide for 63-59 lead for the Sizzlers.
But Purefoods pushed on their running attack to seize the lead back, 75-72, enroute to taking the quarter, 87-83.
The fourth period saw Patrimonio leading his teammates to a 99-91 advantage before De Guzman keyed off a 5-0 run to trim the deficit to just three, 99-96. at that point, the Sizzlers were tired a lot. Their big men were hurting. Villamin was still limping, Saldana was still bothered by the harassment he got from some police men three nights before and Sonny Cabatu was hardly a factor up front.
And so the Hotdogs capitalized on this Achilles’ heel of the Sizzlers even without bull-strong Nelson Asaytono, who left the game on account of six fouls midway the final quarter. Glenn Capacio and Joey Santamaria provided the finishing touches in the midst of flubbed offensives of Tanuan and Solis, whose guns miserably sputtered in the final seconds.
In the end the Hotdogs dieted the Sarsi offenses and prevailed, 107-100. Victory was theirs at last after qualifying for the All-Filipino finals for the fourth time in four seasons in the league. Sarsi had displayed tenacity in its triumphs and even Guiao was proud his boys had this edge over their opponents. But in the very end, it was the same tenacity that Capacio’s boys possessed and what his men now lacked spelled the outcome.
“This is our date with history even if it came the hard way,” was how coach Capacio could express the feelings kept deep inside.
Capacio always had the feeling that Purefoods will win the championship. It never occurred in his mind that hey would let the All-Filipino crown slip their grips for the fourth straight time. His confidence was so true that he had boldly announced it for the whole nation to hear.
“Kahit kainin kong mga salita ko, hindi ko babaguhin. Bakit ko naman babawiin yung sinabi ko?” said Capacio in defending his vocally cocksure attitude in the entirety of the five-game series.
Now that the party is over and Purefoods had bagged its bacon, its on to the Third conference which commences after a two-week lull.
“Huwag na muna nating pag-usapan yan. Right now, me and the boys need a vacation,” was how Capacio summed up his present thoughts in mind.
article posted From: idolkosicap of mypba.com
