The 1980 Crispa Redmanizers season was the sixth season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The team was known as Walk Tall Jeans in the first two conferences.
Contents
Colors
Walk Tall Jeans (Open Conference)
(dark)
(light)
Walk Tall Jeans (Open and Invitational Conferences)
Crispa Redmanizers (All-Filipino Conference)
(dark)
(light)
Summary
Crispa Walk Tall Jeans signed one rookie, 6"6' Romulo Mamaril, and brought in a pair of Glenn Mosley and Sylvester Cuyler as their imports for the Open Conference. The Jeans Makers scored their first win of the season against Honda, 105-104 on March 27, after losing their first two games against Toyota and newcomer Tefilin. Midway in the first round of eliminations, Mosley was replaced by Larry Boston, also two-time PBA Most Valuable Player William "Bogs" Adornado was released by Crispa to U/tex Wranglers, after playing only 7 games for the Jeans Makers. The team finished third behind Toyota and Great Taste after 18 games in the elimination phase. In the four-team semifinal round, the Jeans Makers swept the first round with three straight victories but lost their next two games before routing Great Taste, 127-97, in the last playing date on July 20, to create a triple-tie for the two finals berth. The U/Tex Wranglers secured the first finals seat, leaving Toyota and Walk Tall to dispute the other berth via playoff. The Jeans Makers lost to Toyota Tamaraws, 100-102, in the do-or-die game on July 22.
Byron "Snake" Jones, who previously played for Toyota and U/Tex and was Honda's import in the Open Conference, was acquired by Walk Tall for the Invitational championship to team up with Sylvester Cuyler. Walk Tall Jeans were denied of a finals seat for the second time by their arch rivals Toyota Tamaraws and place fourth after being swept in two games by the visiting Adidas/France in their series for third place.
Two players namely Bernardo Carpio and Frank Natividad from Crispa's farm team in the MICAA were elevated to the pros, as the ballclub return to Crispa Redmanizers in the All-Filipino Third Conference, they capped the season-ending conference with an incredible 19-game winning streak, sweeping their games in the eliminations, quarterfinals and semifinals. The Redmanizers failed to sweep the whole conference, losing Game three of their finals series against Toyota, but they bounced back two nights later in Game four on December 13, defeating the Tamaraws, 105-91, for a 3-1 victory and their 8th league championship.
Notable dates
November 18: Philip Cezar scored 29 points and becomes the fifth player to hit 5,000 point career mark as Crispa beats Tanduay, 151-113.
December 2: Freddie Hubalde scored a personal-high 45 points while Atoy Co added 32 points as the Redmanizers clinch the first finals seat in the All-Filipino Conference, routing Toyota Tamaraws, 143-114. Crispa remained unbeaten in the conference, winning their 16th straight game.
Award
Philip Cezar was voted as the season's Most Valuable Player (MVP)