Former Toyota Tamaraws stars to grace webinar

MANILA, Philippines – It has been 17 years since that reunion match between former PBA clubs Toyota and archrival Crispa. It has been 26 years since their last competitive match, but this fabled ballclub still remains popular.

On Friday, May 15, from 3:30-6 p.m., several of the club’s stalwarts will guest in the Filoil Flying V Sports-BlackWater Elite webinar on Zoom. 

Among the Toyota Super Corollas guesting in the seminar that will be hosted by this writer along and former Phoenix head coach Ariel Vanguardia are Ramon Fernandez, Ricky Relosa, Gil Cortez, Emer Legaspi, Orly Bauzon, Ulysses Rodriguez and Ompong Segura.

Other Toyota stalwarts such as head coach Dante Silverio, daredevil guard Francis Arnaiz, burly forward Tim Coloso, Ed Cordero and Tim Coloso have yet to confirm their participation.

The team — which went by the monikers of the Comets, Silver Tamaraws, Tamaraws, Super Diesels, Super Corollas, and Silver Coronas — won nine PBA titles to go with its one championship from the MICAA days.

Several of its players — Fernandez, Danny Florencio and Robert Jaworski — are named to the PBA’s 40 Greatest Players list. Gil Cortez was the first ever recipient of the PBA’s Rookie of the Year Award in 1976.

Among the topics for discussion will be their championships and missed grand slams, their rivalry with Crispa that saw both squads brawl that resulted in spending a night in Camp Crame, their fabled imports, and their heartbreaking losses.

For details on how to participate in this webinar, interested parties may check out the Facebook pages of Filoil Flying V Sports and Hoops Coaches International.