Cavaliers defuse Senate’s surge, cop semis seat

MANILA, Philippines – Armed Forces of the Philippines weathered Senate’s strong fourth quarter comeback to pull off a 106-98 victory and clinch the first outright semis berth in the fourth UNTV Cup at the Ynares Sports Arena recently.

Winston Sergio fired 21 points to lead AFP’s attack that saw six other teammates score eight points or more.

AFP’s win was its second in three games in the crossover second round elimination as it improved to 6-1 overall to assure itself of one of two automatic semis slots regardless of the result of its last game against Philippine National Police next month.

The Cavaliers’ win likewise shut the door on the Senate Defenders, who dropped to 3-5.

In the other game, defending champion Judiciary stretched its winning run to five with a 72-64 win over Malacañang to finish with a 5-3 record.

So intense was the AFP-Senate match that Rey Malaga was rushed by a UNTV Rescue team to a nearby hospital after he was accidentally hit on the head by Paulino Fernandez’s wayward elbow.

“He’s now OK and he’s doing well,” said Gerry Panghulan, UNTV’s vice president for administration.