Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 13) — Two of the most celebrated basketball legends in the country will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA).
Rivals Robert “Sonny” Jaworski Sr. and Ramon Fernandez will be feted by the country’s oldest sports media organization during the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards Night on March 14 at the Diamond Hotel.
Jaworski and Fernandez started as teammates in the Toyota franchise that debuted in the old Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association before jumping to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) as one of its founding members.
The Jaworski-Fernandez tandem steered Toyota to nine PBA championships, before the Tamaraws were disbanded before the start of the 1984 season.
The Toyota disbandment led to the separation of Jaworski and Fernandez, which sparked Philippine basketball’s most celebrated rivalry.
Jaworski became the leading figure of Gilbey’s Gin, which later became Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. His charisma on and off the court as a player and a playing coach from 1984 to 1998 planted the seeds for the ballclub’s legendary “Never Say Die” spirit, which led to its rise as one of the most recognizable professional basketball teams in the country.
Fernandez won three PBA Most Valuable Player awards during his post-Toyota days and won 11 titles with Tanduay and San Miguel, including a Grand Slam in 1989. He retired as the league’s all-time leader in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots, free throws made, and career minutes played.
The two celebrated basketball legends ended their rivalry during the 1989 PBA All-Star Game, when Jaworski made the assist to Fernandez for a game-winning basket right at the buzzer.
Jaworski and Fernandez also collaborated in the Philippines’ silver medal finish in the 1990 Beijing Asian Games, the first time the country sent an all-professional national team in international competitions.
After their memorable cage careers, Jaworski and Fernandez both ventured into public service. Jaworski served as senator from 1998 to 2004. Fernandez is an incumbent Philippine Sports Commission commissioner.
Jaworski and Fernandez will join the likes of their coach Baby Dalupan, the late former ambassador and basketball project director Danding Cojuangco, and billiards great Efren “Bata” Reyes in the list of Philippine sports icons, who received the PSA Lifetime Achievement Award.
The PSA recently named weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz as the 2021 Athlete of the Year for winning the country’s first Olympic gold in Tokyo.
The SMC-PSA Awards Night counts on the PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, and Cignal TV as major partners, and backed by MILO® Philippines, 1PACMAN, PBA, Rain or Shine, ICTSI, Chooks-to-Go, SMART Sports, Philippine Racing Commission, and MVP Sports Foundation.
