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This Day in PBA History: Jaworski logs 58 minutes in Game 4 of Ginebra-Manila Beer finals

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Rey Joble

<p>In the eyes of those who watched him through the years, Robert Jaworski was indeed an inspiration to many Filipino ball players.</p><p>He embodied the never-say-die spirit, which is still being carried by the most popular team in the PBA, Ginebra San Miguel, a team he led to greater heights.</p><p>The &quot;Big J&quot; had a long list of accomplishments, but not every one of them is appreciated.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/03/21/this-day-in-pba-history-jaworski-joins-10000-points-club">This Day in PBA History: Jaworski joins 10,000 points club</a></li></ul><p>But for basketball purists who love the game, there was one performance that made Jaworski more endearing.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/13/21/this-day-in-pba-history-the-first-manila-clasico-final">This Day in PBA History: Ginebra nips Purefoods to win All-Filipino in first Manila Clasico final</a></li></ul><p>On this day in PBA history, 35 years ago, Jaworski played a total 58 minutes in Game 4 of the best-of-7 championship series between Ginebra and Manila Beer.</p><p>The Gin Kings won, 145-135, in double overtime, as import Michael Hackett knocked in 45 points, including a turnaround jumper with 2 seconds left that sent the game to the first extension period.</p><p>Hackett, Billy Ray Bates and Jaworski, who was already 40 years old at that time, played without relief as &quot;The Living Legend&quot; became the first local player to play nonstop in a game.</p><p>To those who played with him at Ginebra, Jaworski was seen as a true hardcourt hero.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/21/21/this-day-in-pba-history-the-michael-hackett-game">This Day in PBA History: Ginebra’s Hackett becomes league’s first 100-point man</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Si Jaworski ang attitude niya sa game, hanggang nakakatakbo siya, hanggang kaya niya, maglalaro siya. He has played hurt before, but he would continue to play on,&quot; said long-time assistant coach Rino Salazar. &quot;Hindi ’yan katulad ng ibang player, masakit daw ang tuhod, ayaw na.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/19/21/this-day-in-pba-history-justin-brownlee-sinks-the-shot">This Day in PBA History: Brownlee sinks ‘the Shot’ to deliver Ginebra the title</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Hanggang kaya niya, maglalaro ’yan. He gave his best, 100 percent, every time he plays.&quot; </p><p>Jervis Cole played for Jaworski&#x27;s champion team in 1991 and was amazed that a 46-year-old player can still keep up with his younger rivals.</p><p>&quot;I never had a player-coach in my entire career,&quot; said Cole. &quot;But here&#x27;s a guy who plays and assumes the role as coach at the same time. I remember he hit some big shots during our championship series against Shell and I was being doubled or tripled team and he&#x27;s one of the guys who stepped up. If I&#x27;m 46, I won&#x27;t be playing any more, but he was still competing at such a high level.&quot;</p><p>Leo Isaac, who played for Jaworski for several years, recalled one story that attested to his playing coach&#x27;s stamina and longevity.</p><p>&quot;For some reasons, hindi ko alam if sira yata ’yung sasakyan niya and ’yung iba pang sasakyan is ginagamit rin ng family niya, one time, he asked me, &#x27;Leo, sabay ako sa iyo.&#x27; So I told him, ‘Sige, coach.’ So when I reached the gate of his subdivision, sabi ni coach Jawo, ‘Dito na lang ako.’</p><p>&quot;I replied: &#x27;Coach, malayo pa, ah.&#x27;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/07/21/this-day-in-pba-history-another-feat-by-el-presidente">This Day in PBA History: Fernandez reaches 2,000 defensive rebounds milestone</a></li></ul><p>He responded: &#x27;Hindi, ija-jogging ko na lang.&#x27;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/09/21/this-day-in-pba-history-the-unstoppable-redmanizers">This Day in PBA History: Crispa posts longest winning streak in a conference at 19</a></li></ul><p>Jaworski&#x27;s 58 minutes of playing time was the best by a local player until it was broken by rookie Jun Limpot when he played for Sta. Lucia during the Realtors&#x27; triple-overtime game against San Miguel Beer on November 9, 1993.</p><div><em>Rey Joble is a sports journalist who has been covering the PBA since 1998, and followed the league as a fan way before that. </em></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1798770" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

On December 9, 1986, Jaworski became the first local to play all 58 minutes of a double-overtime game — and he did it at 40 years old.