Three-time champion Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) clobbered Office of the President-Presidential Management Staff, 112-75 and kept its bid for a second round berth in the 9th UNTV Cup on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at the Paco Arena in Manila.
Jerry Lumungsod and Romeo Almerol starred for AFP’s huge win by finishing with similar 26 points enough for the Cavaliers to dodge an embarrassing early exit in the two-part eliminations as they improved their Group A record to 2-2.
The Cavaliers, however, must hurdle their last game in the 6-team elims against PhilHealth on Feb. 8 to make it to the second round of the tournament offering a tax-free P3 million prize to the chosen charity of the champion team.
The defending champions DENR Warriors, meantime, reduced the SSS Kabalikat to a second-rate squad with a 124-33 demolition for a 2-1 mark in Group B.
In other Group A match, PhilHealth drew big games from Jonathan Aldave and Jervy Glorioso to hand the Judiciary Magis their first defeat with an 86-84 win.
With the loss, SSS became the first team to be eliminated in the 12-team tournament exclusively for public servants.
DENR’s overpowering win over the Kabalikat somehow soothed the pain of its stinging 92-80 defeat to the NHA Home Masters the last time in a game it controlled most of the way.
Ralph Lansang led five DENR players in double figures with 30 points.