PBA epic remembered

Añejo walked out, Shell clinched first-ever title

MANILA, Philippines — Exactly 30 years ago today, basketball aficionados witnessed one of the most bizarre, if not craziest, of endings in a PBA championship series.

On that tumultuous night at the Ultra, the Shell Zoom Masters clinched the First Conference crown over an Añejo Rum 65 opponent which refused to finish Game 6 after walking out late in the second quarter.

The Zoom Masters celebrated their franchise milestone while the 65ers of playing coach Robert Jaworski paid for their action with a then record P550,000 in fines.

Shell, behind its deadly triumvirate of the late great import Bobby Parks Sr., newly-minted ROY-MVP Benjie Paras and ace guard Ronnie Magsanoc, enjoyed a 62-47 lead with 2:52 left in the second when the walkout took place.

Irked by the two technical fouls charged against Rey Cuenco, and the fifth foul slapped on import Sylvester Gray, Jaworski led the 65ers towards the exits, never to return again.

The pull-out resulted in a forfeit, and the Zoom Masters sealed the championship, 4-2.

“We were hoping that the Añejo team would finish the game. But when the allowed time to return lapsed and we were crowned as conference champions, the emotions that were tempered finally came out,” Magsanoc recalled to The STAR.

“(We got) flash back of difficult times and multiple sacrifices before getting to the top and (we’re) full of happiness and gratitude to be part of the franchise’s winning run,” he added.

Despite the chaotic end, Magsanoc cherished this bruising encounter with Añejo.

“It was a dream and a privilege to be able to compete against The Living Legend, coach Sonny Jaworski and his grizzled gladiators,” he said.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, who was working as stats director for broadcast partner Vintage Enterprises, remembered the shock of the crowd.

“May sumenyas kay Sen. Jaworski then nakita ko na palabas na sila papunta sa dugout. Maski kami nagtanungan, ano nangyari? Hinintay sila ng matagal pero hindi na bumalik,” Marcial narrated.

The pro-Añejo fans were agitated and reportedly resorted to pelting debris onto the court.

“Wala naman ako natatandaan na batuhan, kasi na-shock mga tao,” said Marcial.

Then commissioner Rudy Salud penalized Añejo P250,000 to cover expenses lost, P50,000 to be given to Shell, and another P250,000 in “exemplary damages.”

Twenty years after Añejo’s infamous walkout, Talk N Text also left the court and forfeited Game 4 of their Philippine Cup quarterfinal series against Ginebra. Then commissioner Sonny Barrios fined TNT over P1 million at that time.

At present, Marcial said the league’s fine for a similar action is pegged at a staggering P10 million. But if a team walks out but returns within the grace period, the fine is at P2 million.