AFP Cavaliers finally emerged victorious in the do-or-die duel for the UNTV Cup Season 2 title and a P1.5-million cash prize, pulling a slim 74-73 victory over PNP Responders.

AFP has picked the AFP Educational Benefit System Office (AFP EBSO) as its chosen charity. AFP EBSO provides educational benefits to fallen AFP soldiers’ orphaned children.

Second-placer PNP Responders bagged P650,000 cash prize for its chosen charity.

AFP Cavaliers has beaten PNP Responders during the first quarter with 29-26, but PNP lorded the second and third quarter with 46-41 and 59-61, respectively.

Finally at the end of fourth quarter, it was back to AFP Cavaliers, finishing with a mere single point to win the championship game of the charity basketball.

#UNTVCup2Championship Trends at No. 1

The hashtag of the game climbed up the Philippines Trends ladder immediately as #UNTVCup2Championship was revealed at around 12 PM on Tuesday.

At around 4:20 PM (PHT) of the same day, #UNTVCup2Championship has peaked to No. 1, even hours before the start of the exhibition game began at 6:30 PM at the Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City.

The #UNTVCup2Championship hashtag lingered longer in the Philippines Trends until around 1 AM, the following morning (July 9).

Best-of-Three Series

While PNP Responders has beaten off AFP Cavaliers during the first game of the Finals, but an upset win by the Cavaliers in Game 2 forced the death duel on July 8.

The Season 1 of the charity basketball league had PNP making it to the finals but lost to Judiciary. This time around, PNP has banked on Olan Omiping, UNTV Cup’s MVP, to thwart another heart-breaker. But this proved not enough to bag this season’s Cup title.

Cavaliers, meanwhile, put its trust in the prowess of its veterans, Eugene Tan, Ronaldo Pascual and Alvin Zuniga, which paid off and in their last game match.

Curtain-Raiser Game

Exhibition Game features a rematch between the Executive and Legislative branch. UNTV-BMPI Chairman and CEO Kuya Daniel Razon joined and played with Team Executive, which needed another player to complete its lineup.

The rematch had Team Executives emerging the winner, ending the edge-of-your-seat and intense game with a five-point advantage over Team Legislators with a score of 86-81.

During the third quarter, Team Legislators led with 68-64. The legislators were also unbeaten during the first quarter over Team Executive, with 28-21.

Before July 8’s battle, Team Executive also won the Exhibition Game last July 1.

Cash Prize Raised to P1.5 Million

This season’s UNTV Cup champion was supposedly getting P1-Million cash prize. But shortly after giving his inspirational speech during Game 2, Bro. Eli Soriano of the Members Church of God International (MCGI) has donated P500,000, raising the titleholder’s cash pot for charity.

Bro. Eli is one of the major supporters of UNTV and the station’s various public service endeavors of ten years. MCGI is locally-known as Ang Dating Daan, the name of the religious program with a strong following in the Philippines and Filipinos abroad.

Meanwhile, the second runner-up prize was also increased from P500,000 to P650,000. The additional P150,000 came from BMPI VP for Operations, Gerry Panghulan.

Other UNTV Cup 2 Winners

UNTV announced the other winners during Game 2 of the battle between AFP and PNP last July 1, 2014.

The Judiciary only managed to scoop third place prize of P250,000 for their chosen charity. The Judiciary Magis will donate their prize to the Typhoon Yolanda Judiciary victims.

During the first season of the basketball league, the Judiciary bagged the championship trophy and donated its P1-Million prize to the victims of Bohol earthquake and the war victims in Mindanao.

Fourth placer, MMDA received P150,000 for their chosen charity.

Season 2 Most Valuable Player and Scoring Champion came from PNP Responders in the person of Ollan Omiping. Second season’s Most Improved Player and Best in Steals awardee was MMDA Black Wolves’ Peter John Villanueva.

Best in Reinforcement Player of the Season was MMDA Black Wolves’ Jeffrey Tyrone Sanders, Best in Blocks was awarded to PNP Responders’ Jay Mann Misola, while Best in Assist awardee was AFP Cavaliers’ Eugene Tan.

Best in Rebound award went to LGU Vanguards’ San Juan Vice Mayor Francis V. Zamora.

UNTV Cup Season 2 opened last February 11, this year, also at Smart-Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City.

Nine teams joined this season, which included AFP Cavaliers, PNP Responders, DOJ Avengers, HORS Solon, Judiciary Magis, LGU Vanguards, MMDA Black Wolves, Macalanang Patriots, and Senate Defenders.

UNTV Cup: From Game Court to Charities

A brainchild of Kuya Daniel Razon, UNTV Cup is the country’s first basketball league that has successfully pooled government officials and public servants to sweat it out for their chosen charities.

UNTV Cup is one of the key public service efforts by the network dubbed as “The Public Service Channel” with Kuya Daniel Razon at the helm.

One such initiative aimed at enhancing the public service side of UNTV Cup is the so-called “People’s Day.” Every game day, there is public service assistance offered by each participating agency like police-clearance application, ID renewal and more.

Admission was free at the Araneta Coliseum during the Championship match.

Under his stewardship for ten years now, Kuya Daniel transformed the station into the home of various charity programs for indigents and the marginalized.

The network’s projects for the poor include daily medical and dental checkups, legal assistance, and free bus rides. It also conducts a regular outdoor medical mission in remote provinces and inter-barangay People’s Day medical missions.

There are also community services that UNTV maintains, such as tree-planting, barangay and river cleanup drives, mass blood drives, and more. The Ang Dating Daan group actively supports all these efforts.

Season 1 was launched in July, 2013 with only seven teams. As in Season 1, Sports Commissioner of UNTV Cup is Atoy Co.

Written by Ryan Borja