1978 U-Tex Wranglers season

The 1978 U-Tex Wranglers season was the 4th season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

1978 U-Tex Wranglers season
Head coachTommy Manotoc
All-Filipino Conference results
Record7–8
(.467)
Place5th
Playoff finishN/A
Open Conference results
Record18–5
(.783)
Place1st
Playoff finishFinals
Invitational Conference results
Record2–5
(.286)
Place4th
Playoff finishN/A
U-Tex Wranglers seasons

Off-season transactions

Signed Renato Lobo and Anthony Dasalla, formerly of Solidenims in the MICAA.

Championship

The second conference of the season had U-Tex being given the option to use two imports simultaneously, the Wranglers were reinforced by the returning Byron "Snake" Jones playing at center and Henry Williams to quarterback and shoot. After four games, coach Tommy Manotoc decided to replace Williams in favor of Glenn McDonald, a member of the 1976 NBA champion Boston Celtics. The formidable combination of Jones, McDonald and Lim Eng Beng led the Wranglers to a 10-4 won-loss slate in the eliminations and breezed into the finals with a 5-1 record in the semifinal round and will play defending champion Crispa 400s in a rematch of last year's Open championship.

The U-Tex Wranglers won the Open Conference title and made history by surprisingly scoring a clean 3-0 sweep over Crispa 400s. After winning the series opener by a point in overtime, 95-94, U-Tex won games two and three, 100-93 and 104-96, to finally break the stranglehold of Crispa and Toyota for winning titles and becoming the first team outside of the two ballclubs to win a PBA crown. [1]

Roster
U/Tex Wranglers roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.
G 5 Deles, Roy 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) San Beda College
G 6 Pineda, Ricardo 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Letran College
F 7 Lobo, Renato 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Far Eastern
F 8 Noblezada, Jaime 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) University of San Agustin
F/C 9 Dasalla, Anthony 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Far Eastern
G 11 Hines, Rudolf 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Letran College
F/C 12 Cabading, Romualdo 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) University of Baguio
F/C 13 Kutch, Rudolf 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) UE
G 14 Eng Beng, Lim 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) De La Salle
F/C 15 Frank, Romeo 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
C Camus, Edward 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
F Mora, Alfonso 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) San Sebastian College
F 3 Williams, Hank (I) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Jacksonville University
F 20 McDonald, Glenn (I) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) California State University
F/C 33 Jones, Byron (I) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) University of San Francisco
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Nap Flores
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (I) Import
  • Injured
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References
  1. The PBA Open Conferences championship
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