TOP PBA PLAYERS FROM 1975 TO 1981 | TOP TEN
- Syd Salazar
- May 1, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: May 7
14.4ppg | 4.8rpg | 2.8apg | 0.7spg | 0.7bpg | 389 games
When it comes to PBA rivalries, people often compare the careers of Ramon Fernandez and Abet Guidaben. In the same breath, I find myself drawing parallels between Freddie Hubalde and Arnie Tuadles. If Guidaben was the Poch Juinio of his team—steady, reliable, and quietly effective—then Hubalde might be more in line with a Jeffrey Cariaso or Kenneth Duremdes type: smooth, versatile, and capable of stepping into the spotlight. Statistically, Hubalde and Tuadles were neck and neck early in their careers, but Hubalde may have gained an edge by capitalizing on Bogs Adornado’s injury and eventual move to U/Tex, paving the way for him to become Crispa’s second MVP winner.
16.9ppg | 3.3rpg | 3.1apg | 0.7spg | 287 games
While Crispa and Toyota were loaded with championship hardware, their stars often had to share the spotlight—and the ball—for the greater good. The same dynamic played out on mid-tier teams that featured standout talent. Take U/Tex, for example. Arguably the league’s third-best team during its time, the Wranglers found their centerpiece in Lim Eng Beng when he joined in 1976. The former DLSU sharpshooter quickly emerged as the franchise’s all-time leader in both points and assists. His value only rose when it mattered most—during the playoffs—where his clutch performances and two championship runs made him an undeniable asset.
20.2ppg | 3.0rpg | 1.8apg | 0.3spg | 286 games
I’m not exactly sure why Bogs Adornado ended up this deep on the list. Maybe it’s the devastating injury he suffered in 1977... or maybe it’s because his non-scoring stats don’t pop the way his point totals do (especially with Abet Guidaben and Philip Cezar doing a lot of the interior work). Still, you just can’t ignore those scoring numbers—they’re off the charts. That’s part of why Adornado became the league’s first back-to-back MVP. He was a pure scoring machine, plain and simple. Now imagine him in today’s game, firing off ten three-point attempts a night with the ultimate green light. Scary, right?
19.9ppg | 2.9rpg | 2.5apg | 1.1spg | 260 games
Danny Florencio made his PBA debut at nearly 28, already known as the go-to scorer during the Philippines’ Olympic runs in the ’60s and ’70s. That scoring role carried over to the pros—first as U/Tex’s top gun, then as a dominant force for 7-Up. It was with the Uncolas that he made history, averaging 32.3 points per game in 1977—the highest single-season scoring average ever by a local player. His numbers dipped after joining the talent-stacked Toyota Super Corollas, but by then, the veteran seemed to prioritize chasing titles over racking up stats. And at that stage of his career, who could blame him?
6 | FRANCIS ARNAIZ
17.3ppg | 2.7rpg | 4.7apg | 0.9spg | 376 games
This is exactly why I wish the PBA would make all their stats freely available online—for the fans, for the historians, and for curious minds like mine. For the longest time, I didn’t fully appreciate the legacy of Mr. Clutch, Francis Arnaiz. Sure, I knew he was instrumental in Toyota’s championship runs, but beyond his scoring, I had no idea how strong his assist and steal numbers were during that era. Even more impressive? During that stretch, he averaged just 0.01 points less than the team’s top frontline scorer (more on him later) and was one of four Toyota players on this list putting up 16 points or more per game. And that’s not even counting his other all-around contributions!
15.6ppg | 6.9rpg | 2.8apg | 0.7spg | 1.6bpg | 383 games
I’ve always found The Scholar’s stats a bit puzzling. Sure, Crispa was stacked with talent during this era, so it makes sense that with four or five guys scoring in double figures, the second-leading scorer would hover somewhere between 13 to 17 points per game. His shot-blocking was elite, no doubt, but I expected him to pull down more rebounds. Don’t get me wrong—Philip Cezar was a force. I used to think of him as the statistical equivalent of Danny Ildefonso back in the day, but the more I look at it, he was really a supercharged version of Rey Evangelista—versatile, intelligent, and always filling in the gaps. And let’s not forget: he was putting up those numbers while guarding imports on a nightly basis. That’s no small feat.
4 | MANNY PANER
16.3ppg | 9.2rpg | 2.3apg | 0.7spg | 284 games
When talking about non-Crispa and Toyota stars who deserved more recognition, Manny Paner immediately comes to mind. As much as I enjoy watching Marcio Lassiter’s style of play, it’s hard to overlook the impact of San Miguel Beer’s original superstar. Paner was a beast on the boards and a serious offensive threat—even the league’s best defenders had trouble containing him. During this era, he consistently held his own against legends like Ramon Fernandez and Philip Cezar. That said, this stretch also marked the start of his gradual decline, particularly during his second stint with San Miguel after a brief run with Great Taste. Still, his prime was nothing short of elite.
20.8ppg | 3.6rpg | 4.1apg | 0.8spg | 0.6bpg | 389 games
In many ways, The Fortune Cookie had the kind of career Allan Caidic should have had. And that’s no slight to The Triggerman—Caidic was phenomenal—but Atoy Co’s accomplishments are just on another level. What makes it even more impressive is how he shined despite sharing the spotlight with several other stars on that loaded Crispa roster. At one point, Co was the PBA’s all-time leading scorer, a title he held until the league’s tenth season. While Caidic picked up where Co left off when he debuted in 1987, his individual and team achievements just don’t stack up the same. Sure, their rookie-year impacts were comparable, but Co simply put up better numbers across his first ten seasons—and let’s not ignore the fact that his assist numbers were elite, too.
16.8ppg | 7.5rpg | 6.7apg | 1.4spg | 380 games
Robert Jaworski entered the PBA in 1975, just shy of turning 30—and yet, while most of his peers eventually bowed out quietly, The Living Legend kept going until a political career finally convinced him to hang up his sharp elbows and sharp tongue. There’s a reason Jawo built a massive, cult-like following: his fierce, never-say-die style, especially during his Toyota years, was magnetic. His peak arguably came in 1978, when he became the first Toyota player to win MVP by nearly averaging a triple-double. Think about it: a point guard pulling down almost eight rebounds per game in that era? Unreal. And here’s the wild part—he’s not even the best player on this list.
17.4ppg | 8.6rpg | 3.8apg | 1.5spg | 2.3bpg | 370 games
It’s hard to argue against Don Ramon as the top pick for this list. Have you seen his numbers? By this point, he's the all-time leader in both rebounds and blocks. But, believe it or not, this ranking isn’t as obvious as it seems. Remember that trivia I shared earlier about the two PBA pioneers, MVP-caliber players, including Abet Guidaben, who hadn’t won the MVP by 1981? Well, Ramon Fernandez was the other one. It’s mind-blowing that despite all his individual accolades, he was snubbed for seven seasons. But that would change when he finally claimed his first MVP in 1982, a title he’d go on to win four times. Not to mention, he came close to three grand slams during his career before joining the San Miguel Beermen in the midst of their own grand slam run in 1989. Up until June Mar Fajardo, the records he set from 1975 to 1984 are practically untouchable.
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Sayang di pasok idol ko na si Ponky Alolor, may stats ka niya? -1c3m@N