It's been 53 years since Meralco celebrated a championship
It's been 53 years since Meralco celebrated a championship
MERALCO on Sunday is looking to make history by winning its first-ever PBA crown since its inception in 2010.
That is, if it triumphs over San Miguel in Game Six of the Season 48 Philippine Cup finals.
READ: What worked against Ginebra is working again for Meralco vs. San Miguel
Nonetheless, aside from the quest to win its maiden title in the professional league, the company, unknown to perhaps some younger fans, is also eyeing to end a 53-year title drought in major basketball competitions in the country.
The last time the lights went on for Meralco
On July 11, 1971, Meralco ruled the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA), considered the top league in the country before the PBA was formed in 1975.
Meralco, then nicknamed the Reddy Kilowatts or Reddies, defeated Crispa, 65-58, at the Araneta Coliseum to capture the crown that capped off a six-game sweep of the tournament.
Meralco MICAA champion
Coincidentally, one of the teams that Meralco beat on the road to the championship round was San Miguel, based on the research by Edmon1974’s Blog. The Reddy Kilowatts defeated the San Miguel side, then called the SMC Braves, 82-73.
According to the account of the championship game by The Manila Times’ Anthony Exaltado, Robert Jaworski and import Charles Greenfield played big in the final. The game was, at one point, tied at 52-all, then Reddies ahead, 57-54, until the two combined for seven points in the last two minutes to put the game away.
Meralco’s other reinforcement Bob Preysley also provided a lift on the boards, while also putting the clamps on his Crispa counterpart Tom Cowart, who was arrested by police after the final due to a rape charge.
Lauro Mumar, a member of the 1954 national team that took the bronze medal in the 1954 FIBA World Cup, was the Reddies' coach in their championship run.
The 1971 MICAA title was the company’s first in the post-war era, according to the same report. Meralco previously won the 1934 crown before making its return to the amateur league in 1968.
Meralco’s MICAA stint, however, didn’t last long following the breakthrough, as the team was disbanded a year after due to Martial Law.
The company returned to basketball in 2010 after purchasing Sta. Lucia's PBA franchise.
The Bolts had come close to breaking the drought after four finals appearances, but lost to Barangay Ginebra in all of them.
Last Friday, Meralco defeated San Miguel, 92-88, to seize a 3-2 lead in the finals, the first time the franchise held such lead in a seven-game series. Is a title finally in sight for the Bolts?