BY JONAS TERRADO
Gregorio “Joy” Dionisio, Mariwasa-Noritake and Toyota made history 45 years ago yesterday when professional basketball was born in the Philippines.
Dionisio became known as the first player to score a basket in the Philippine Basketball Association while Mariwasa and Toyota beat separate rivals in the opener held before 18,000 fans at the Araneta Coliseum.
Like any start-up organization, the PBA started off humbly after nine ballclubs decided to break away from the MICAA and form Asia’s first play-for-pay league.
Concepcion-Carrier and U-Tex were on the losing end of the inaugurals while Crispa, Royal True-Orange, 7-Up, Tanduay and CFC Corporation paraded their players and muses in the short opening ceremony.
Founding president Emerson Coseteng and Commissioner Leo Prieto led the rites while Mia Montemayor, named as Ms. PBA, made the ceremonial toss between Mariwasa import Cisco Oliver and Concepcion-Carrier’s Ramon Lucindo.
“A brief opening ceremony unfurled before action on the hardcourt, under a professional set-up this time, and brought the nine competing teams led by their skippers and muses marching before a highly appreciative crowd,” wrote Danny Santillan, who covered the game for this publication, then known as Bulletin Today.
It didn’t take long for those in attendance to witness the first basket courtesy of Dionisio, who donning the jersey of Concepcion-Carrier. The breakthrough basket, however, was a footnote in most of the newspaper accounts.
Carrier was one of the first stop in Dionisio’s nine-year playing career. He wound up winning two titles with Crispa while also suiting up for U-Tex and Galerie Dominique.
Oliver, known for his famous Alaska commercial in the 70s, was a standout performer in the first game scoring 48 points to power Mariwasa-Noritake past Dionisio and Concepcion-Carrier 101-98.
“The six-foot-six Oliver, alternately harassed by Jaime Noblezada and Roy Deles, put in the last two of his 48 points — hit two charities off Ramon Lucindo’s sixth personal foul — to seal the victory for Noritake, 99-92, with one minute and four seconds left,” said Santillan in his game story.
Former Crispa star Adriano “Jun” Papa supported Oliver with 17 points. Noblezada and Olympian and future PBA champion coach Jimmy Mariano had 24 and 17 points for Concepcion while Dionisio had 10.
Ompong Segura led the charge for Toyota, which bucked the loss of Robert Jaworski on six personal fouls to top the Danny Florencio-led U-Tex 105-101 to cap off the doubleheader.
Segura, who finished with 23 points, played seven seasons as pro, mostly with Toyota. He also suited up for Mariwasa, U-Tex and Manhattan.
Florencio scored 29 points to kick off a PBA career that enabled him to join the 25th and 40th anniversary teams. He later played for 7-Up, Toyota and Galerie Dominique.
It was the first 338 wins for Toyota, which later engaged Crispa to a bitter rivalry that lasted until the Delta Motors franchise disbandment following the 1983 season.
The successful opening day became the initial step the PBA took in order to become an institution in the local sports scene.
