AFP Cavaliers in jubilation as the final buzzer sounded at the Game 3 of UNTV Cup Season 4 Finals. (CJ Tañedo / Photoville International)
AFP Cavaliers won the UNTV Cup crown for the 2nd time and in the process bagged the four million pesos cash prize, wherein 3.5 million will go to their chosen beneficiary, the AFP Educational Benefit System Office.
Their victim, the PNP Responders, the same team they defeated in the finals two seasons ago. Same scenario, PNP won the 1st game and AFP swept the next two games. Last night at the jampacked Smart Araneta Coliseum, AFP defeated again PNP in UNTV Cup Season 4 Finals game 3, 93-90.
UNTV Cup, the public service channel’s basketball competition where cash prizes are donated to charities, is led by multi-awarded broadcaster and Mr. Public Service Daniel Razon.
IN PHOTOS: UNTVCUP Season 4 Champion – AFP
The 5-foot-7 Cavaliers ace point guard, Boyet Bautista stood tall among all the players as he led the soldiers to the Season 4 crown. Their 2nd overall is decorated with an impressive stat line of 30 points, 11 of 17 field goals, 3 of 5 3 points, 5 of 7 freethrows, 8 rebounds (3 offensive), 3 assists, 3 steals and a block-enough numbers not only in the game but in the whole series as season four’s Best Point Guard. Aside from being the best player of the do or die championship game, Bautista was also the Finals MVP.
The Responders actually led at the start of the game with PO1 Antonio Tolentino Jr. firing from all range. He scored 15 points in the quarter, perfect 6 of 6 from the field, with 3 triples and 3 steals as PNP took the the first 10 minutes, 30-22.
The squad led by coach Alfredo Cayco and Sonny Manucat, stormed back in the 2nd period with 12 points coming from Bautista and quick retaliation right after every PNP’s basket. The soldiers were also able to outrebound and outhustle the policemen in the quarter, but coach Estong Ballesteros team was able to hang on to the lead, 53-49 at the half.
AFP got the upperhand at the end of the 3rd period, 68-67. Technical sergeant Rolando Pascual and Bautista joined forces while the Cavaliers defense made Ollan Omiping scoreless for 10 minutes.
PNP was able to regain the lead at the start of the final period with a triple coming from SPO2 Julius Criste, 70-68 (9:42).
Sergeant Winston Sergio tied the game at 70 with a layup and staff sergeant Paulino Fernandez two freethrows gave the lead back to AFP, 72-70 (8:57).
Omiping converted a triple to put PNP ahead, 73-72 (8:29).
Eugene Tan answered back with his own three. (AFP 75 PNP 73, 8:07).
Fernandez scored again coming from a pass of Sergio but PO3 Japhet Cabahug made a freethrow to cut down AFP’s lead to 3, 77-74 (7:14).
Bautista scored a freethrow and Pascual made a basket to increase their lead to 6, 80-74 (6:16).
PO3 Jay Mann Misola connected his pair of freethows to trim the lead to 4, 80-76(5:53).
Bautista completed an and-one fearless drive as AFP raised their lead to 7, 83-76(5:34).
Tolentino outsmarted Bautista as he fished for Boyet’s foul while attempting a triple. Tolentino scored all three free-throws.
Harold Sta. Cruz was also perfect from the line as PNP inched closer, 83-81 with 5:16 remaining.
Pascual was able to follow up on his own missed basket but a Criste’s rainbow connection put PNP just a point behind AFP, 85-84 with only 2:26 left.
Omiping’s defense was able to force Bautista to an 8-second half court violation and Pascual committed his 5th and final foul on Sta. Cruz with still 2 minutes and 11 seconds remaining in the game.
Sta. Cruz didn’t connect on the foul line but PNP was able to rebound and the next time Sta. Cruz went to the stripes off the foul of Bautista, he made a point to tie the score at 85, 100 seconds left.
Omiping once again was able to force Bautista to a missed drive and on the next possession, Omiping was fouled by Corporal Jeff Quiambao on his own drive. The 2-time MVP was able to convert a freethrow to give a 1-point edge to Responders, 86-85 with only 72 seconds remaining.
With a perfect assist from Tan, Quiambao scored inside as the Cavaliers regained the upper hand, 87-86 with 58.5 ticks left.
However, Quiambao wasn’t able to complete the and-one play and he also fouled out in the game as the AFP’s center accidentally hit Tolentino in a lose ball at the 54.4 mark.
Tolentino was only able to connect a point but still tied the game at 87.
AFP again was able to make the perfect play with Casulla’s timing assist to Bautista who knocked down the three to give the Cavaliers the 3-point cushion, 90-87 with 37.1 ticks left in the clock.
Omiping’s triple was an airball and Criste’s own attempt was blocked by Bautista.
With 18.9 seconds remaining, Bautista put the icing on the cake as he made both his free throws for 92-87 count.
Tolentino had a chance for a triple but he missed it.
Fernandez made a freethrow off Cabahug’s foul and Criste made the final Basket of Season 4, a triple but it was not enough as the AFP Cavaliers survived a determined PNP Responders 93-90, the same championship victory they tasted two seasons ago with still no Baustista in the line up.
And with a Bautista in the roster, AFP repeated again the painful loss they inflicted on the policemen who where 2nd placers for the third time in 4 seasons, and never a winner in the finals series.
As a consolation, PNP still got the 2 million cash prize, with 1.7 million going to their beneficiaries which are the PNP Sports Development Program and the Sangguniang Masang Pilipino Inc.
300,000 goes to the team which improved from last season’s quarter final finish.
500,000 went to AFP as the champion team.
Last week cash prizes were given also to the other 10 teams, and the total cash prize for Season 4 amounted to 8.3 million pesos of which 7.2 million goes to their chosen beneficiaries and charities.
Truly the only league in the land where everybody wins because each one was able to help a community while playing, watching and supporting the game we love, basketball!
UNTV Cup Season 4, ang Liga ng Public Servants!
Watch out for a more exciting, more intense, more action packed and more public service coming from UNTV Cup Season 5!!!!!
The CUP scores
AFP 93 – Bautista 30, Pascual 15, Tan 11, Quiambao 9, Sergio 8, Fernandez 7, Zuniga 6, Casulla 4, Araneta 3
PNP 90 – Tolentino 26, Omiping 15, Sta.Cruz 13, Criste 12, Cabahug 10, Decena 4, Misola 4, Abaya 2, Yanquiling 2, Abragan 2
Quarter Scores: 22-30, 49-53, 68-67, 93-90
Key Stats:
AFP – 32/70 fgs, 45% fg, 7/13 3pt, 53% 3fgs, 22/31 fts, 48 rebs(16 off), 8 assts, 9 stls, 4 blks, 16 tos, 29f, 1T
PNP – 26/73 fgs, 35% fg, 12/27 3pt, 44% 3fgs, 26/37 fts, 32 rebs(14 off), 7 assts, 13 stls, 8 blks, 16 tos, 26f, 0T
(MARK SUBA)
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