1979 PBA season

Updated on Apr 25, 2026

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All-Filipino Conference champions Crispa Redmanizers Invitational Championship champions Toyota Tamaraws Number of teams 9 TV partner PBA on MBS		Open Conference champions Royal Tru-Orange Start date 1979 Season MVP Atoy Co
Duration April 1, 1979 – December 15, 1979 Similar 1998 PBA season, 2008–09 PBA season, 1992 PBA season, 2000 PBA season

The 1979 PBA season was the fifth season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Season highlights

After a two-year absence of playing against each other in the championship between the league's most noted rivalry, Crispa and Toyota played again in the finals during the All-Filipino Conference. Crispa prevailed in five games, winning the deciding game, 118-111 on July 7.

On September 4, the visiting Washington Bullets, which lost to Seattle SuperSonics in the 1979 NBA Finals, played against a PBA All-Star Selection at the Araneta Coliseum in an exhibition game attended by Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos, the Bullets with the line-up of hall of famers Elvin Hayes, Wes Unseld and among others, Greg Ballard, Dave Corzine and coach by Dick Motta, won the match, 133-123. The PBA selection were coach by Baby Dalupan and played with five imports and one locals from each of the nine ballclubs.

Royal Tru-Orange won their first PBA title in the Open Conference, defeating Toyota Tamaraws, 102-101 in Game 4, for a 3-1 series win. The Orangemen, led by imports Otto Moore and Larry Pounds, became the fourth team to win a championship in the 1970s.

The Toyota Tamaraws avoided a third runner-up finish in the season by winning the Invitational championship against rival Crispa Walk Tall Jeans. The 3-1 series win was their first finals victory over Crispa, after losing five straight in their previous title showdown, as three different teams emerge champions in the league's fifth season.

Opening ceremonies

The muses for the participating teams are as follows:

Champions

All Filipino Conference: Crispa Redmanizers

Open Conference: Royal Tru-Orange

Invitational Championship: Toyota Tamaraws

Team with best win-loss percentage: Toyota Tamaraws (44-18, .710)

Best Team of the Year: Toyota Tamaraws (3rd)

Individual awards

Most Valuable Player: Atoy Co (Crispa)

Rookie of the Year: Arnie Tuadles (Toyota)

Mythical Five:

Robert Jaworski (Toyota)

Atoy Co (Crispa)

Ramon Fernandez (Toyota)

Arnie Tuadles (Toyota)

Philip Cezar (Crispa)

Board of governors

Leopoldo Prieto (Commissioner)

Domingo Itchon (President, Elizalde and Co.)

Dante Silverio (Vice-President, Delta Motors Corporation)

Walter Euyang V (Treasurer, Universal Textile Mills)

Jose Castro, Jr. (Executive Secretary)

Pablo Carlos (Delta Motors Corporation)

Valeriano "Danny" Floro (P. Floro and Sons)

Emerson Coseteng (Honda)

Leonardo "Skip" Guinto (San Miguel Corporation)

Porfilio Zablan (Consolidated Food Corporation)

Carlos Palanca III (La Tondeña Incorporada)

References

1979 PBA season Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA