1983 Tanduay Rhum Makers season

The 1983 Tanduay Rhum Makers season was the 9th season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Known as Yco-Tanduay in the All-Filipino Conference.

Summary

Yco-Tanduay had practically the same lineup from last season, the Esquires missed out a semifinals berth in the All-Filipino Conference, finishing with a 3-4 won-loss card, just a game behind semifinalist Gilbey's Gin and Toyota.

Dropped the Yco product and were renamed Tanduay Rhum Makers in the Reinforced Filipino Conference. Signed Francois Wise, formerly of disbanded U-Tex Wranglers, as their import. The Rhum Makers enters the quarterfinal round with an even 7-win, 7-loss slates and was the last team to make it in the four-team semifinal round, lost all their six matches in the semifinals, placed third with a 3-1 series win over Gilbey's Gin.

Francois Wise team up with George Melton in the Open Conference. Tanduay had to win their last game in the eliminations against Toyota, 131-119 on October 27, to force a playoff with the Super Corollas for the last quarterfinals berth. Both teams finish with identical 6 wins and 8 losses after 14 games. The Rhum Makers escape with a one-point win over Toyota in their knockout game three nights later. In the quarterfinal round, ^[1] the Rhum Makers were tied with Gilbey's and San Miguel at 2-win, 1-loss and they figured in another playoff, this time for the fourth and last seat in the semifinals against the Beermen, where they lost, 104-108 on November 10.

Notable dates

July 10: Francois Wise scored his personal-best 74 points in Tanduay's 145-118 win over Great Taste.

October 30: Behind the plays of Mike Bilbao and Abet Gutierrez, the Rhum Makers rallied in the final minute to score a dramatic, come-from-behind 111-110 win over Toyota, thereby eliminating the defending Open Conference champion for the second straight time in the season.

Roster

_{Team Manager: Johnny Jose / Jesus Bilbao}

References