The 1978 U-Tex Wranglers season was the 4th season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Off-season transactions

Signed Renato Lobo and Anthony Dasalla, formerly of Solidenims in the MICAA.

Championship

The second conference of the season had U-Tex being given the option to use two imports simultaneously, the Wranglers were reinforced by the returning Byron "Snake" Jones playing at center and Henry Williams to quarterback and shoot. After four games, coach Tommy Manotoc decided to replace Williams in favor of Glenn McDonald, a member of the 1976 NBA champion Boston Celtics. The formidable combination of Jones, McDonald and Lim Eng Beng led the Wranglers to a 10-4 won-loss slate in the eliminations and breezed into the finals with a 5-1 record in the semifinal round and will play defending champion Crispa 400s in a rematch of last year's Open championship.

The U-Tex Wranglers won the Open Conference title and made history by surprisingly scoring a clean 3-0 sweep over Crispa 400s. After winning the series opener by a point in overtime, 95-94, U-Tex won games two and three, 100-93 and 104-96, to finally break the stranglehold of Crispa and Toyota for winning titles and becoming the first team outside of the two ballclubs to win a PBA crown. ^[1]

Roster

U/Tex Wranglers roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. G 5 Deles, Roy 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) San Beda G 6 Pineda, Ricardo 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Letran F 7 Lobo, Renato 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Far Eastern F 8 Noblezada, Jaime 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) San Agustin F/C 9 Dasalla, Anthony 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Far Eastern G 11 Hines, Rudolf 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Letran F/C 12 Cabading, Romualdo 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Baguio F/C 13 Kutch, Rudolf 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) UE G 14 Eng Beng, Lim 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) De La Salle F/C 25−15 Frank, Romeo 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) C 15 Camus, Edward 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) F 16 Mora, Alfonso 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) San Sebastian F 3 Williams, Hank (I) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Jacksonville F 20 McDonald, Glenn (I) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Long Beach State F/C 33 Jones, Byron (I) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) San Francisco	Head coach Tommy Manotoc Assistant coach(es) Nap Flores Legend (C) Team captain (I) Import Injured

References

External links

• 1978 U-Tex team photo@interbasket.net