Defending champion Armed Forces of the Philippines extended its winning streak to five games while Department of Environment and Natural Resources stunned Malacañang-Philippine Sports Commission, 80-77, in the 8th UNTV Cup held over the weekend at the Pasig City Sports Center.
The AFP Cavaliers bucked a slow start to beat the Ombudsman Graftbusters, 92-74, to stay unbeaten in the Group A elims of the annual tournament for public servants.
The Cavaliers erased a 20-13 first quarter deficit as Romeo Almerol and Wilfredo Casulla struck hard in the middle quarters, giving them a 67-55 lead going into the payoff period which they protected to prevail.
Almerol topscored for the Cavaliers with 21 points, Casulla added 17 while former Letran star Boyet Bautista and Jerry Lumungsod had 17 points each.
The DENR Warriors, on the other hand, leaned on the clutch plays of Ed Rivera and Arturo Atablanco to notch their fourth straight win while snapping the four-game winning run of the Malacañang-PSC Kamao in Group B.
Rivera led the Warriors with 22 points while Atablanco posted five points, seven assists and four rebounds in another solid all-around game,
In the other Group A match, PhilHealth improved its record to 2-3 with a 104-80 drubbing of SSS.
The SSS Kabalikat absorbed their fourth straight defeat in the tournament offering P4 million to the chosen charity of the champion.
First Game
PhilHealth 104 – Mazo 34, Aldave 21, Pacheco 16, Hernandez 11, Pedroso 8, Emata 8, Armojallas 4, Mbbagu 2.
SSS 80 – Quiambao 31, Aguila 12, Trinidad 11, Packlibare 10, Sarmiento 8, Roman 6, Puno 2.
Quarters: 15-20, 46-34, 71-53, 104-80.
Second Game
AFP 92 – Almerol 21, Casulla 18, Lumongsod 17, Bautista 17, Rosopa 10, Fernandez 5, Evidor 3, Tan 1.
Ombudsman 74 – Ignacio 22, Franco 14, Baldonado 12, Del Rosario 7, Lumague 7, Palacio 6, Sanchez 4, Buetipo 2.
Quarter s: 13-20, 37-34, 67-55, 92-74.
Third Game
DENR 80 – Rivera 22, Bangal 17, Lansang 14, Ayson 12, Abanes 9, Atablanco 5, Parreno 1
Malacañang – PSC 77 – Jimenez 19, Punzalan 17, Dela Cuesta 15, Besa 9, V. Javier 7, N. Javier 3, Garrido 3, Roque 2, Abalos 2
Quarters: 21-12, 35-27, 59- 45, 80-77.