The 1980 Tefilin Polyesters season was the first season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
Contents
New team
Filsyn, a pioneer polyester fiber manufacturing firm, is one of the two new companies joining the PBA in the league's sixth season, increasing the number of teams to 10, among the amateur recruits of the new ballclub to be known as "Tefilin" were Jojo De Guzman and four former members of the Philippine team - Efren Manila, Caesar Yabut, Joselito Ocampo and Gregorio Gozum, handled by veteran coach Fely Fajardo, who is returning to the league after a four-year absence, with assistant coach Jun Bernardino and team manager Frank Harn. In their very first conference, the team has enlisted the services of Ira Terrell, starter of the Phoenix Suns in the NBA team's last 36 games in 1976, and Charlie Floyd, a Washington Bullets' third round choice, as their imports.
Summary
Open Conference: Tefilin lost in its debut in the opening game of the season on March 16 against Honda, 94-95, four nights later on March 20, the Polyesters upset powerhouse Crispa Walk Tall Jeans, 79-75, for their very first franchise win. Tefilin had a 5-4 won-loss card in the first round of eliminations and finish with an even 9 wins and 9 losses after 18 games in the elimination phase and didn't qualify in the four-team semifinal round.
All-Filipino Conference: The Polyesters won only three of their 9 games in the one-round eliminations and failed to advance in the round of six. They won two of their three matches in the one round robin among four teams ousted from the quarterfinals. Tefilin overall had a 14-16 won-loss record in their first season.