Eugene Tan put on a vintage performance, knocking in a huge three-point shot in the crunch to help lift Armed Forces of the Philippines to a pulsating 76-73 win over reigning titlist Senate in Game 1 of their title series in the 7th UNTV Cup recently at the Pasig City Sports Center.
A member of the Philippine team that won the 2007 SEA Games gold medal in Ratchasima, Thailand, Tan highlighted AFP’s remarkable comeback with a three that put the AFP Cavaliers on top for the first time, 74-73, with one minute and 27 seconds left in the game.
The Cavaliers, winners of the 2014 and 2016 editions, then preserved Tan’s heroics with two defensive stops to win the opener of their best-of-three title series.
AFP can clinch its third title in the annual event for public servants and organized by UNTV President and CEO Dr. Daniel Razon with another win on Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
If that happens, the chosen charity of the Cavaliers will get a tax-free P4 million prize, while the foundation picked by the Defenders get P2 million.
Meantime, National Housing Authority settled for third with a 73-70 win over PNP.
The NHA Providend Funds, chosen charity of the Builders, got P1 million, while PNP’s Public Assistance for Rescue, Disaster and Support Services Foundation International, Inc. received P500,000.
Senate led most of the way, but failed to put the Cavaliers away as former Letran star Boyet Bautista, Darwin Cordero and Jerry Lumungson also delivered and finished in doubles figures.
In his best game so far, Tan led all AFP scorers with 18 points, while Cordero and Bautista added 16 and 15 points, respectively.
AFP’s win negated Jeff Sanders’s 24-point show for the Defenders, who played minus Sen. Joel Villanueva, who injured his left calf in the team’s series-clinching win over the PNP Responders.
Scores:
AFP 76 – Tan 18, Cordero 16, Bautista 15, Lumongsod 14, Pascual 6, Casulla 5, Quiambao 2.
SENATE 73 – Sanders 24, Sevilla 18, Legaspi 10, Mangaran 8, Balboa 7, Ng 4, Omega 2.
Quarters: 15-25, 36-46, 54-65, 76-73.
