Senate, Palace seal UNTV title showdown

MANILA, Philippines — Senate re-asserted its mastery over top seed Armed Forces of the Philippines while Malacañang-Philippines Sports Commission also repeated over National Housing Authority to seal a title showdown in the sixth UNTV Cup at the Meralco gym in Pasig over the weekend.

Drawing another solid all-around performance from former PBA player Jeff Sanders and the dominant inside plays of Marlon Legaspi and Harley Ng, the Senate Defenders defeated the AFP Cavaliers, 86-80, to reach the finals of the annual event for public servants for the first time.

While it was Legaspi who topscored with 18 points, Sanders made the big plays in the crunch as the fourth seeded Defenders foiled the Cavaliers and arranged a best-of-three title series with the Kamao starting on March 4.

Sanders finished with 15 points, five rebounds and three assists while Ng and Rommel Balboa combined for 29 markers to help the Defenders overcome the twice-to-beat edge of the Cavaliers.