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This Day in PBA History: Crispa registers longest winning streak at 21

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Rey Joble

Nearly four decades since posting the longest winning streak at 21 games, the fabled Crispa Redmanizers still hold the record which it established bridging the 1983 All-Filipino and the Reinforced Filipino Conference.For about four months, the Redmanizers stayed unbeaten, even as they took off that 1983 season on the wrong foot, losing to archrival Toyota, 86-84, in the opening game that year.But since then, the Redmanizers went unstoppable, winning the next six games in the elimination round then swept all three matches in the semis to earn the right to face Gilbey’s Gin, which it also blanked in three games of their best-of-5 championship series on their way to capturing the All-Filipino title.Carrying a 15-game winning run at the start of the Reinforced Filipino Conference, the Redmanizers looked even more imposing when they brought in an explosive import in Billy “Ray” Bates.Bates’ debut was a smashing hit and quickly he caught the attention of PBA fans when he poured in 64 points in his first game on May 15, 1983, leading the Redmanizers to a 120-119 win against Norman Black and the Great Taste Coffee Discoverers.The Black Superman capped his scintillating performance with a 50-point output against Great Taste on June 19, 1983 in Cebu as Crispa won, 113-107.Crispa’s 21-game winning streak was snapped by the Donnie Ray Koonce-reinforced San Miguel Beer when Bates blew his top after figuring in an altercation with Anthony Dasalla. “Napikon si Bates kay Dasalla and both of them got ejected,” recalled basketball historian Jay P. Mecrcado while sharing it to ABS-CBN News Online. “From there on, Donnie Ray Koonce carried SMB all the way.”Prior to the incident, Bates knocked down a three-point basket, his 41st-point of the game, to give Crispa a 96-92 lead until emotions flared in the next play.During San Miguel’s offensive thrust, Rudy Lalota powered his way inside and was fouled by Abet Guidaben.Bates was motioning to the referees that Guidaben was trying to play straight up defense. Dasalla came to Crispa’s super import, hoping to catch his ire -- and he did when he slapped the former NBA star. The Redmanizers reinforcement didn’t like the gesture and streaked towards Dasalla and punched the San Miguel forward, who also retaliated with a blow.Both players were elected, but it cost Crispa the match and saw its winning run coming to an end.Its winning run was halted, but its mission of capturing two more championships and completing a grand slam wasn’t as Crispa went on to achieve history by becoming the only PBA squad to complete a triple crown in a season twice.The Redmanizers first did it in 1976.Looking back, Crispa legend Bernie Fabiosa felt new coach Tommy Manotoc did a great job bringing in the team’s veterans and emphasizing more on conditioning, and that helped the team’s success in winning the grand slam.“Si Tommy is more on conditioning,” said Fabiosa. “Kino-correct niya yung mga movements mo na hindi naman kailangan. Atsaka nag-improved yung depensa namin. Si Coach Tommy, alam ko naga-adjust rin siya sa amin dati kasi iba yung paningin niya sa ibang team nung araw kaysa sa amin. Siyempre madalas kaming champion so we were able to develop mutual respect. Hindi siya mahirap kausapin. Puwede mo siyang kausapin ng sarilinan. Nakikinig siya eh.”Fabiosa didn’t know Bates much as there was no cable TV at that time and the only way you can watch NBA games live is through a bunny antenna when you’re nearby Clark Air Base.“Hindi ko siya kilala, pero ang kuwento niya noon, binigyan siya ng 10-day contract ng LA Lakers, pero hindi siya magamit kasi andun si Magic Johnson,” said Fabiosa. “Pero malaki katawan eh. We welcomed him sa dinner. Alam mo naman kami nung araw, puwede kami sa socializing, inom, inom ng konti, pero malakas pala uminom si Bates. Alcoholic pala.”“Nung kinuha ni Tommy yan, parang naiilang nga si Norman Black. Kasi kilala niya si Bates. Malakas talaga and magaling.”Co could only agree how great of a player Bates was.“Sa practice walang ginagawa eh, papetiks-petiks lang,” said Co. “Pero pagdating ng laro, super naman talaga. Tapos, may PSG na nagbabantay kay Billy Ray Bates kasi nga because of Tommy. Magaling si Billy and malakas. Yung Toyota Liftback nga ni Itoy Esguerra, binuhat eh.”

Doubting Crispa’s dominance in its heyday? Look no further than the fabled franchise’s 1983 season for evidence.