Trivia: 4 EX-PBA IMPORTS IN HISTORIC NBA GAME

Kelly Tripucka in file photo.

Believe it or not, four ex-Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) imports saw action in the highest scoring game ever in NBA history 0n a snowy December 1984 night in McNichols Arena in Denver, Colorado. The Detroit Pistons nipped the Denver Nuggets, 186-184, in a triple overtime thriller with four players scoring at least 40 points. Isiah Thomas led the Pistons with 47 points and Terry Tyler scored 41 points. Kelly Tripucka added 35 points for Detroit. Kiki Vandeweghe pumped in 51 points and Alex English hit 47 markers for the Nuggets.

Walker Russell, who was regular fixture for the Presto team in the 80’s, scored 2 points and David Thirdkill, who led Tanduay to a PBA title in 1987, did not score a single point for the Pistons. Thirdkill also saw action for Purefoods in 1988. Rob Williams, another ex-Tanduay import, who also won a PBA championship in 1986, scored 9 points for the Nuggets while ex-Shell import Howard Carter went scoreless for the Mile High City squad. Tripucka believes that the historic game would be up there with the other amazing NBA records such as Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points and other monumental feats.

“I don’t care what you compare it to- whatever record you bring up, this game is up there with all of those. When is anyone ever going to break this record?”