Toyota Super Corollas

Profile and franchise

The team debuted in April 1973 as the Komatsu Komets for the PANAMIN basketball tournament. In June 1973, it joined the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA) as the Toyota Comets and emerged as champions in its maiden tournament. In January 1975, five MICAA teams met together at the Elizalde & Company canteen to sign a pre-organizational agreement for the formation of what is now known as the Philippine Basketball Association. Dante Silverio, Ricardo Silverio's nephew, was the official representative of Toyota who signed on the dotted line.

In November 1976, the team changed its name to the "Toyota Silver Tamaraws" (a tamaraw is a small buffalo). In the 1977 season, the name was shortened to the Toyota Tamaraws. That same year, the Silverio group debuted its new MICAA team, Crown Motor Sales (later playing in 1979 as Frigidaire and MAN Diesel). The MICAA team, like their PBA counterparts, were likewise successful in the MICAA and was one of three the powerhouse teams of the MICAA, along with Solid Mills and Imperial Textile Mills (ITM).

In 1978, FILMANBANK, a bank owned by the Silverio group, joined the PBA after acquiring the 7-Up Uncolas' franchise.

In 1981, the team was renamed the Toyota “Super Diesels,” and in 1982 as the “Super Corollas.” When the 1983 season unfolded, they again changed their name to the Toyota “Silver Coronas” but reverted to the Toyota Super Corollas during the 1983 Open Conference. After the 1983 season, they traded longtime starting power forward Abe King to the San Miguel in order to cut the total payroll.

However, due to corporate losses caused by the prevailing economic crisis, the team came to an end when Delta Motors Corporation sold its PBA franchise to the Lucio Tan group on February 14, 1984. The new franchise debuted in the PBA as Beer Hausen in 1984.

In February 1984, the Toyota franchise officially took a leave of absence from the league after suffering from huge losses in terms of revenues.

Season-by-season records

Awards

Individual awards

Notable players

In alphabetical order. Members of PBA Hall of Fame and PBA's Greatest Players are in boldface.

• Francis Arnaiz - #8 (1973-1983)
• Ramon Fernandez - #10 (1973-1983)
• Danilo "Danny" Florencio - #22, #44 (1978-1982)
• Robert Jaworski - #7 (1973-1983)
• Fortunato Acuña - #17 (1973-1978)
• Orlando Bauzon - #9 (1973-1977)
• Nicanor "Nick" Bulaong - #20 (1977-1983)
• Aurelio "Boy" Clariño - #23 (1975-1976)
• Timoteo "Tim" Coloso - #13 (1982-1983)
• Roberto Concepcion - #5 (1973-1975)
• Edgardo Cordero - #88 (1983)
• Virgilio "Gil" Cortez - #16 (1976-1977) 1976 PBA Rookie of the Year
• Ernesto "Estoy" Estrada - #5 (1978-1979)
• Leopoldo "Pol" Herrera - #41 (1980-1983)
• Pablo Javier - #12 (1977-1980)
• Abe King, Jr. - #6 (1977-1983)
• Emerito "Emer" Legaspi - #18 (1977-1983)
• Joaquin "Chito" Loyzaga - #4 (1983)
• Rolly Marcelo - #6 (1975)
• Eduardo Merced - #9 (1980-1981)
• Ricardo "Ricky" Relosa - #15 (1982-1983)
• Alberto "Big Boy" Reynoso - #4 (1973-1976)
• Cristino "Tino" Reynoso - #14 (1973-1976)
• Oscar Rocha - #11, #45 (1977)
• Ulysses Rodriguez - #6 (1973-1975)
• Joaquin "Jake" Rojas - #22 (1975-1976)
• Quirino "Rino" Salazar - #14 (1977-1981)
• Antero "Terry" Saldana - #17 (1982-1983)
• Rodolfo "Ompong" Segura - #15 (1973-1976)
• Jess Sta. Maria - #13 (1977-1979)
• Elias Tolentino - #21 (1975)
• Arnulfo "Arnie" Tuadles - #11 (1979-1983) 1979 PBA Rookie of the Year MICAA (1973-1974):
• Ed Camus - #13 (1973-1974)
• Nat Canson - #12 (1973-1974)
• Joseph Galonga - #18 (1973)
• Bot Acosta - #16 (1973)

Imports

• Ralph Brewster - #34 (1983)
• Stan "Sweet" Cherry - #30 (1975)
• Arnold Dugger - #30 (1982)
• Andrew Fields - #1 (1979-1983)
• John Irving - #34 (1977)
• Byron "Snake" Jones - #33 (1975-1976)
• Bruce "Sky" King - #11, #111, #43 (1977-1980)
• Victor King - #34 (1981, replacement of Melton Wertz)
• Donnie Ray Koonce - #30 (1982, replacement of Arnold Dugger)
• Kevin Porter - #2 (1983)
• TJ Robinson - #33 (1978)
• Howard Smith - #35 (1976)
• Archie Talley - #13 (1981)
• Carlos Terry - #42 (1978, replacement of TJ Robinson)
• Julius Wayne - #3 (1983, replacement of Kevin Porter)
• Melton Wertz - #33 (1981)

Head coaches

• Nilo Verona - 1973
• Dante Silverio - 1974-1979
• Fortunato Acuña - 1979-1980
• Edgardo Ocampo - 1981-1983

Team managers

• Dante Silverio - 1973
• Butch SyQuia - 1974-1979
• Pablo P. Carlos Jr. - 1979-1980
• Ricardo S. Silverio, Jr. - 1981-1982
• Joaquín C. Rodríguez - 1983

References

References

1. "PBA - Philippine Basketball Association".
2. (6 March 2021). "How Sonny Jaworski's seasons with Toyota helped shape his legendary career". [[ESPN]].
3. (12 February 2022). "Toyota's Demise came on Valentine's Day". Sportsbytes.com.ph.