The Senate Defenders earned their first win against House of Representatives Solons in the first elimination round game of UNTV Cup Season 2 on February 11 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Team Senate Defenders racked up 83 points over Team Solons’ 74.

The Senate and HOR are two of the 10 teams playing this season for the 1-million-peso championship cash prize, which will be donated to the winning teams’ chosen charity or foundations.

The burden is on to Season 1’s champ Judiciary Magis to keep the title for the second time. Observers are divided of which team is likely to scoop the championship trophy.

MMDA Blackwolves, AFP Cavaliers, and the Local Government Units (LGU) are already seen likely to steal the award from the former champ.

The teams’ line-up also includes PNP Responders, Department of Justice (DOJ) Avengers, Malacañang Patriots, and PhilHealth Advocates.

With UNTV Cup, UNTV-BMPI Chairman and CEO Daniel Razon gives basketball a new face of public service saying, “Every game day is people’s day.” (Rey Calinawan Vercide | Photoville International)

UNTV Cup’s founder BMPI-UNTV Chairman and CEO Daniel Razon thanked the 10 teams and all the people who support the charity project.

“We are grateful for all the support. We’re looking forward to more exciting basketball games in the coming days,” said the veteran broadcaster. “We’re seeing the good result of this project, made even better with putting up of booths by participating agencies. With this, we’re expecting to strengthen our public service.”

Team Senate vs. Team Solons: The First Game Play 

Teams Senate and Congress put up a close fight in the first half of the game, 42-41, in favor of the Solons. But the Defenders were quick to build a strategic play and made an 18-point advantage, which eventually gave it a 9-point lead to close the game.

Kenneth Duremdes, a retired and noted Most Valuable Player in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), led the Defenders to a victory with his 36 points. Duremdes was hailed the Best Player of the Game.

Former PBA player Kenneth Duremdes leads Senate Defenders to its first game win in the round robin elimination of UNTV Cup Season 2 on February 11 during the league’s opening ceremony at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. (Rovic S. Balunsay | Photoville International)

“We’re happy that we won this first game and hopefully, we get the same result in our next game or in our future games,” Duremdes said.

Driving the play for the Solons was Iloilo Congressman Neil Tupaz who shot a total of 22 points. Not in full force during the first game, Team Solons is expecting five more players coming in for the team’s next games.

“In our rotation earlier, we only have 6-7 people. Hopefully five more congressmen will come in our next games,” said Tupaz.

The round robin elimination games are scheduled every Sunday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City from 2 p.m.

Fortunato “Atoy” Co and Ed Cordero are this season’s Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, respectively.

(Written by Carmi Tongol-Anecito)