Crispa's biggest names included Fortunato "Atoy" Co, Philip Cezar and Abet Guidaben in the PBA's first 10 years. But one can't discount the fact that Alfredo "Freddie" Hubalde also played a major role during the Redmanizers' legendary run from 1975 to 1984.
With an ever-supportive management led by team owner Danny Floro, a list of superb imports, and a steady supply of local young talents each season, Crispa managed to sustain its dominance en route to winning 13 PBA titles in the league's first 10 seasons.
Hubalde had a hand in in Crispa's dominant run, which included an unprecedented two Grand Slam feats in the 1976 and 1983 seasons.
The 6-foot-1 Hubalde was Crispa's silent operator all those years, supplying the steady offense inside and outside. His contributions were eventually noticed after being named the 1977 PBA Most Valuable Player, along with a Mythical First Five selection. Hubalde, a former Mapua Cardinal star, also made it back to the Mythical Five in 1978.
Supreme confidence
Hubalde believes that aside from Crispa's solid teamwork and close-knit relationships off the court, it was was their supreme confidence that allowed them to dominate the league back then.
"Tingin ko naman nandun yung kumpiyansa mo kasi malakas pa rin ng team. Kasi nung araw kapag sasali kami, kapag nagsimula na yung tournament, sinasabi sa amin ng management, ayusin niyo na passport niyo. Ang ibig sabihin nun magcha-champion kami," Hubalde told An Eternity of Basketball on Saturday.
Hubale said going on overseas trips was won of the incentives that motivated Crispa to succeed.
"Kapag champion kami pupunta kami ng Hong Kong. Yan ang sinasabi ng management. So meron talagang ganun kasi kumpiyansa ang bawat isa," he added.
Crispa completed a three-game championship series sweep of first-time Finalist Gilbey's Gin in the 1983 season. Hubalde remembered that the Crispa management was so confident of their chances that they already booked everyone's ticket to the United States. True enough, Crispa players made short work of Gilbey's Gin, relying on solid team play and the dominance of Guidaben and Co to score a runaway 115-84 Game 3 triumph to complete the clean All-Filipino Finals sweep.
"Naka-ready na eh, naka-book na kami," Hubalde said with a big grin.
Intense rivals
Crispa and Toyota met in the finals in the pro league's first six conferences from 1975 to 1976.
Toyota, in fact, came close to winning the PBA's first-ever Grand Slam right in its first season after ruling the first two conferences. But Crispa made sure Toyota wouldn't achieve history when it subdued the Comets in a five-game series to capture the 1975 All-Philippine conference title.
After its first-ever championship, Crispa went on to win five straight more, including the 1976 Grand Slam to establish its dynastic reign. Hubalde said such dominance somehow attracted Filipino basketball fans, who came in droves and packed the Araneta Coliseum, each time Crispa played Toyota.
"Tingin ko una sa mga fans, Crispa kasi may sariling mga fans at die-hard. Ang Toyota may sarili ring fans na die-hard, e dun pa lang sa fans matindi na labanan," shared the 66-year-old Hubalde.
But he feels the management of both Crispa and Toyota -- who faced off in the finals 10 times during the PBA's first decade -- made the right moves by recruiting the top-caliber players during those times.
"Pagdating sa mga players, Toyota ang talented ng mga players. Ang Crispa talented din mga players kasi Crispa and Toyota lang ang kumukuha ng talented players. Kaya sila yung naging competitive teams nung araw," he recounted.
Crispa's fierce rivalry was also fueled by skirmishes with Toyota players. One player Hubalde engaged in intense physical battles was Robert "Sonny" Jaworski.
"Talagang kung dumepensa lang siya matigas saka gagawin niya lahat sa defense," Hubalde said of Jaworski. "Ma-abilidad siya dumepensa kasi gagawin niya ang kung ano ano, so ang gagawin mo e kontrahin mo lang."
"Kina-karate ako, tinataga niya ako so ang dami kong kamay na maga diyan sa pagkarate niyan," he added.
Hubalde, though, didn't take such physical beating sitting down. While he wasn't remembered for blowing his top or engaging in fistfights during his 16-year career, he admitted hitting back at times.
"Hindi ako napipikon, kumbaga yun ang style niya talaga eh, ginagawa ko na lang bumabawi na lang ako, di niyo napansin di halata," he said. "Kasi kapag hindi ka bumawi sasabihin nila suki ko 'to. So kung eto lumalaban na ito, di ka sasabihing suki kasi lumalaban ka."
Physicality though is something he was used to since he started as a member of the Mapua junior basketball team in the NCAA.
"Nung una at bago pa ako, ganun ang ginagawa, pero parati kami magkalaban so alam ko na. Kasi nung araw, yung mga matatandang player, nakalaban ko iyan juniors pa lang ako. Tatakutin ka na nila, sisindakin ka nila," Hubalde shared. "E pag nasindak ka, di ka makakalaro ng husto."
Hubalde stressed that either you fight back and earn the respect of others or simply cower down in defeat.
"Nung bago ako, tinitira ako, bibigyan ka pero part yan ng basketball, lalo na pag bago ka. Kung matatakot ka ngayon e hindi lalabas ang laro mo," he said.
Despite his numerous on-court battles with Jaworski, Hubalde has high respect for him.
"Sa skill level magaling din si Coach Sonny. Kumbaga all-around player din si Sonny. May tira sa labas. Sa loob marunong din mag-low post. Kaya lang dahil guwardya, playing-coach, siya nagdidikta ng tempo ng team nila," Hubalde noted.
Transition year
When legendary coach Virgilio "Baby" Dalupan surprisingly quit the Crispa side at the end of the 1982 season, Hubalde admitted he was taken aback.
Dalupan was close to the hearts of the players, having served as a father figure and mentor to them while leading Crispa to nine PBA titles during his tenure.
"Wala akong idea na mawawala si Coach Baby nun," said Hubalde, who added said that the entry of Tommy Manotoc as Dalupan's succeessor came with a period of adjustment.
"Medyo parang may pagdududa sa pag-coach niya (Manotoc) kasi ibang sistema. Saka di niya kami kilala. Gaya ko, yung laro ko di niya kabisado and yung bawat isa sa amin di niya kabisado," recalled Hubalde. "Nagbe-base lang siya sa stats saka nagbe-base lang din siya sa (sasabihin ni) assistant coach Ciso Bernardo. And sa akin nun, sa tingin ko di pa niya ako maysado nagamit kasi binibigyan niya kami ng playing time na mga 10 minutes o 15 minutes."
The reduced playing time, though, worked wonders for Crispa, which went on to capture a second Grand Slam championship. To this day, no team has achieved that feat.
"Ang maganda kay Coach Tommy hinanda niya kami physically kasi sumasama siya sa amin pag nagja-jogging kami so nakikita niya yung players na kundisyon lahat kasi tumatakbo talaga siya nung time na yun," he explained.
Adding to Crispa's dominance in 1983 was the presence of former LA Lakers and Portland Trailblazers guard Billy Ray Bates. Hubalde described the "Black Superman" as an "animal" on the court.
"Nung sinabi nga sa amin ni Coach Tommy, 'Kilala niyo ba si Billy Ray Bates? Nagulat kami kasi alam ko naging player siya sa Porland sa NBA. Natuwa kami," he recalled. "Kita mo talaga ang galing at ang lakas ng katawan eh sa States ang tawag sa kanila kapag iba ang strength mo, 'He's an animal.'"
Bates went on to dominate the league in his two conferences as Crispa's import, leading the Redmanizers to the Grand Slam title.
Move to Tanduay
Upon Crispa's farewell season in 1984, Hubalde went on to play for Tanduay, a team that has long been in the doldrums of the pro league at the time. With Hubalde moving in, along with fellow Crispa teammates Guidaben, Tito Varela and Padim Israel, Tanduay made the semis twice in the 1985 season.
A big trade that sent Guidaben to Manila Beer in exchange for former Toyota foe Ramon Fernandez late in 1985 would eventually pave the way for the franchise's change of fortune.
"Nalungkot ako kasi kaibigan ko yun," Hubalde admitted. "Silang dalawa lang magka-match kasi sa PBA nun. Hindi mo puwede i-trade si Mon sa iba. Si Abet lang talaga ka match so pag na-trade si Mon apektado si Abet."
Though Fernandez was a long-time PBA rival, Hubalde managed to work well with the team, along with Israel, JB Yango, Willie Generalao and a young and upcoming guard in Onchie dela Cruz.
With the explosive combo import Rob Williams and Andre McKoy leading the way, Tanduay reigned supreme in the 1986 Reinforced Conference, beating Great Coffee in the finals to end the franchise's long title drought.
Hubalde had his bright moments for the franchise, contributing 21.2 points per game in the All-Filipino conference to lead Tanduay not just in scoring, but also helping his team secure a spot in the final versus Ginebra. Hubalde credited Williams for pushing him to work on his three-point shooting that made him sharper on offense that season.
"Iyung import namin si Rob Williams parati ako niyaya niyan mag-shooting kami kaya na develop ang shooting ko sa three-points," remembered Hubalde, while noting that his stop-and-pop style of shooting from three-point zone was something he learned from Williams.
"Nasanay kasi ako with Rob Williams. E made-develop talaga shooting mo kapag practice ka ng practice. Kung napansin niyo sa Tanduay, yung coming from dribble, nagti-three points ako."
Hubalde took the spotlight in Game 4 of their finals series with Ginebra. With his experience, the former Mapua deadshot sealed Tanduay's All-Filipino championship in the 1986 season with two crucial foul shots off a Jaworski foul in the dying seconds.
"Nung time na yun, man-to-man na. Dapat kay Mon yung bola. E nade-deny si Mon kaya nasa akin ang bola," he shared. "Pagdating sa akin ng bola, sabi ko sa sarili ko, 'Ako na 'to.' Pero before that, nung timeout nilapitan ko ang referee. Sabi ko, 'Ref tingnan mo yung bumabantay sa akin, tingnan mo yung paa kasi namamatid.' Siyempre inunahan ko na muna ref, alert lang kayo pakitingnan ang paa,"
The defender Hubalde was referring to was Jaworski.
"Pag-drive ko talaga, parang napatid ako. Natumba ako, pero ang foul wala dito," Hubalde said, pointing to his body. Ang foul nasa paa kaya natawagan ng foul ang bantay ko nun, si Jaworski."
Older Ginebra fans who watched the hotly-contested Game 4 would argue that there was no foul in the dying seconds, but Hubalde insists Jaworski really committed one.
Hubalde sank both foul shots to give Tanduay a 93-92 lead with six ticks to go. In the ensuing play, Jaworski made a last-second heave, which failed to connect, allowing Tanduay to escape with the win and securing a second straight PBA championship for the season.
The Rhum Makers went on to win a third PBA crown in the 1987 Open Conference behind former Boston Celtics player David Thirdkill. Hubalde said Tanduay dangled extra cash incentives for important games, which gave players like him extra motivation.
"Kaya nga sa Tanduay gumaganda ang laro kasi gagawin ni boss Pepito Gallego, kakausapin niya kami. Sasabihin niya, 'Mga bata meron tayong regular bonus, pero pag nanalo tayo ngayon (versus Ginebra) may extra,'" Hubalde recalled.
Hubalde said players would get a one-game bonus of P10,000, which at the time was huge.
Final years in the PBA
When the Tanduay franchise was sold to Purefoods, Hubalde saw his PBA career slowly decline. It wasn't really because his game started to nosedive, but he insists there were external factors that were beyond his control.
Hubalde was one of six former Tanduay players, who came to reinforce a new Purefoods side that had young players Jojo Lastimosa, Jerry Codinera, Jack Tanuan and Glen Capacio as the initial young core.
But when Fernandez was unceremoniously booted out of his coaching chores in the All-Filipino conference, Hubalde recalled how he eventually started riding the bench. Due to unexplained reasons, Hubalde said his former Crispa teammate Cris Calilan, who succeeded Fernandez as Purefoods coach, used him sparingly during the games.
So instead of wasting his talent, Hubalde requested management for a trade, which Purefoods granted.
"May tumawag sa bahay namin, si Charlie Favis, team manager ng Shell. Sabi sa akin, 'Sa amin ka na.' So nagulat ako, na-trade na pala ako. Ganun kabilis," he shared.
Upon learning of the trade, Hubalde went to a nearby gym where he lives in Antipolo and started working on his perimeter game and three-point shooting. The following day, he traveled with his new team Shell to Batangas for an elimination-round game against Ginebra.
Hubalde said playing for a new team gave him motivation to prove he wasn't over the hill yet.
"Pagdating ng Batangas nanalo kami. And nung halftime, Sabing ganun ni Coach Sonny (which he overheard) sa dugout, 'O, nakaka-shoot pa si Hubalde, wala na ngang team yan eh nakaka-shoot pa," he said.
He wound up with 29 points in his debut in a Shell uniform.
Known as Shell Rimula-X, the team went on to reach the Reinforced Conference finals behind the explosive import duo of Bobby Parks and Derrick Rowland. But San Miguel Beer proved too hot to handle, beating Shell in the finals, 4-1 to rule the 1988 Reinforced Conference.
Hubalde played one more season with Shell in 1989, but in a diminished role as coach Dante Silverio opted to utilize younger players.
Eventually, Hubalde went to join Anejo Rhum the following season. Playing under Jaworski, his former nemesis-turned-coach, Hubalde played limited minutes. Anejo Rum, though, reached the finals of the First Conference behind import Sylvester Gray. The Rum Makers' infamous walkout in Game 6 practically ended the title series, allowing Formula Shell to win the franchise's first-ever title.
Hubalde admitted he could have helped Anejo, but he simply didn't get the chance to contribute that much for the rest of the season.
"Hindi ako masyado nagamit. Hindi talaga yung inaasahan kong time e ang masama dun may isang conference na di ako nakapaglaro," he said, recalling how he was relegated to the reserve list in lieu of Dondon Ampalayo.
"Ang sama ng loob ko. Hanggang ngayon nandun pa kasi nung time na yun mag-opening na. Si Coach Sonny, coach siya ng Philippine team nung araw. E the day before, umo-order na ako ng tickets para sa family ko tapos sabihin ba naman sa akin, si Philip (Cezar) at (assistant team manager) Mike Bilbao pa nagsabi sa akin na nilagay ako sa reserve," Hubalde recounted.
"Biro mo game na namin kinabukasan, and ang pinapasok nila dun star player nila si Dondon Ampalayo. Matagal na daw may injury pero pinapasok nila," he said. "E sa pratcice namin di pa siya gaano makatakbo at makahabol sa amin. Sabi ni Jaworski paglalaruin na daw niya."
Hubalde felt he still had a lot left in his tank to prove he could make a difference if given the chance. Reduced to a smaller role, Hubalde opted to retire at the close of the 1990 PBA season. He retired needing just 52 points to reach the elite 10,000-point club.
Hubalde owns a scoring career average of 12.5 points in 793 games, and closed his career ranked 14th overall on the all-time scoring list.