Senate ousts PNP, faces AFP in UNTV semis

Games Sunday (Pasig City Sports Center) 3 p.m. – NHA vs Malacañang-PSC 4:30 p.m. – Senate vs AFP

Senate clamped down on defense in the stretch and ousted last year’s champion Philippine National Police, 74-66, to advance to the semifinal round of the sixth UNTV Cup at the Pasig City Sports Center over the weekend.

With Gari Sevilla and former PBA player Jeff Sanders on the firing end, the Defenders erased a 55-58 deficit early in the fourth then relied on their defense to frustrate the Responders.

Senate held PNP to just eight points in the fourth while scoring 19 points of their own.

The Defenders thus set up a bestof-three semis duel with top seed and two-time champion Armed Forces of the Philippines beginning Sunday.

Sevilla led the Defenders with 22 points while James Ryan Mangaran and Sanders chipped in 16 and 13 markers, respectively, and alternated in shackling PNP’s Olan Omiping.