Malacañang repels PNP; Judiciary wins

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang, last year’s runner-up, ended Philippine National Police’s three-game winning run with an impressive 75-71 win even as reigning titlist Judiciary finally barged into the win column in the fourth UNTV Cup held recently at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

Poch Junio starred for the Malacañang Patriots’ victory as he scored four of his 10 points at crunch time to help inflict PNP its first defeat in Group A elims of the tournament for the country’s public servants.

Malacañang’s win enabled the Patriots to tie the PNP Responders for the lead at 3-1 as Samuel Ignacio and Visnu Das Javier also delivered with 16 and 13 points, respectively.

Former University of the East player Ollan Omiping was a big disappointment for PNP as he was held to just 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting.

In other games, Judiciary rode on the red-hot shooting of Warren Ybañez in the fourth period to beat Ombudsman, 89-83, while Bureau of Fire Protection outlasted Metro Manila Development Authority, 77-71, in a pair of Group B matches.

Jose Marquez led the Judiciary Magis with 20 points but it was Ybañez who made the difference, scoring 14 of his 19 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field in the fourth period to hand the Graft Busters their second straight defeat in as many outings.

Mon Adolfo topscored for the Fire Fighters with 21 points while Kurt Amores and Richmond Sibal chipped 17 and 12 points, respectively, as BFF secured solo second in their group elims.

The champion in the event presented by UNTV gets the top prize of P2 million which in turn to be donated to its chosen charity.