1979 PBA All-Filipino Conference finals

The 1979 PBA All-Filipino Conference finals is the best-of-5 basketball championship series of the 1979 PBA All-Filipino Conference. The Crispa Redmanizers and Toyota Tamaraws battled once again in the finals, this time for the All-Filipino supremacy.

The Crispa Redmanizers won their finals series against the defending champion Toyota Tamaraws, three games to two, to regain the All-Filipino crown.

The Tamaraws once enjoyed a six-point lead in the third quarter, 75–69, after overhauling a 59–67 deficit.

The Redmanizers lost a 79–72 lead in the third quarter and fell behind by eight points early in the fourth frame, 83–91.^[1]

The Redmanizers appeared headed for an easy win when they led, 98–89, early in the final period. But Toyota's sensational rookie Arnie Tuadles ignited a searing 18–6 Tamaraw run that wiped out Crispa's lead and put Toyota on top, 107–104, with 2:37 remaining.

Tuadles tied the game at 109-all before Joy Dionisio scored on a long 25-foot shot that proved to be the winning shot for Crispa, 111–109.

Robert Jaworski delivered the tie-breaking basket on his own interception while Abe King and Francis Arnaiz combined for three points each in a 7–0 blast in the last two minutes for a winning 113–108 Tamaraw lead.

The Tamaraws last tasted the lead at 107–106 with 3:11 left, but then Freddie Hubalde ignited the breakaway that turned the tide of the game. Atoy Co scored on a three-point play after a miss by Ramon Fernandez to make it 111–107 and after a Toyota timeout, Philip Cezar completed another three-point play on an assist by Gregorio Dionisio for a 114–107 lead with 1:30 to go.^[2]

Crispa Redmanizers roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. # POB Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From C 5 Abet Guidaben 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) USJ–R G 6 Fortunato Co, Jr 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Mapúa F 7 Rodolfo Soriano 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) UE C 8 Jaime Javier 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) José Rizal G 9 Gregorio Dionisio 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Adamson G/F 10 Freddie Hubalde 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Mapúa G/F 11 Bogs Adornado 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) UST G/F 12 Virgilio Dela Cruz 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Mapúa G 14 Luis Varela 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) UE G 15 Bernie Fabiosa 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) UE F 18 Philip Cezar 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) José Rizal F 24 Filomeno Gulfin 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Southwestern-U G 34 Edmundo Espinosa 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Southwestern-U

Head coach Baby Dalupan Assistant coach(es) Legend (C) Team captain Injured

Toyota Tamaraws roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. # POB Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From F 5 Ernesto Estrada 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Visayas F/C 6 Abe King 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) San Beda G 7 Robert Jaworski 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) UE G 8 Francis Arnaiz 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Ateneo F/C 10 Ramon Fernandez 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) San Carlos G/F 11 Arnie Tuadles 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Visayas G 12 Pablo Javier 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Far Eastern G/F 13 Jesus Sta.Maria 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) José Rizal G 14 Quirino Salazar 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Letran F 18 Emerito Legaspi 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) UE F 20 Nicanor Bulaong 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Far Eastern

Head coach Dante Silverio Assistant coach(es) Legend (C) Team captain Injured

• Crispa-Toyota rivalry