Jasha Gamao

SAN JUAN—The Executive Branch Commanders secured their first victory of the season after fending off the BIR Nation Builders, 69-64, in the final fixture of a triple-header at the Playtime FilOil Centre on September 27, 2026. 

Sticking to a disciplined game plan down the stretch, the Commanders held off BIR's late push to capture a hard-earned win in the elimination round.  

The triumph provides a crucial boost of momentum for the Executive Branch Commanders, allowing them to bounce back after taking a loss in their season opener. 

In contrast, the defeat prolongs a difficult campaign for the BIR Nation Builders, who now fall to 0-3 early in the tournament as they continue searching for their rhythm.  

Carlo Murcia spearheaded the victory with a monster double-double effort, earning Best Player of the Game honors. 

Murcia dominated the interior, racking up 19 points, grabbing 17 rebounds, and swatting away 2 blocks to anchor his squad on both ends of the floor.  

Following his standout performance, Murcia credited their execution on court and tactical coaching strategy for the turn-around victory: “Sinigurado namin through our defense at saka yung passing namin sa offense. Maganda yung direction ng coaching staff namin, and nakinig lahat ng players namin.”  

With their first win under their belt, the Executive Branch Commanders look to build a sustained winning streak in their upcoming matchups, while the BIR Nation Builders head back to the drawing board to revive their playoff aspirations.

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SAN JUAN—DOJ Radiance pulled off a gutsy second-half rally to edge past the Senate Sentinels, 61-60, in the second game of the UNTV Cup Executive Face Off 2026 triple-header on September 27, 2026, at the Playtime FilOil Centre. 

Shaking off a slow start, Radiance mounted a furious comeback to keep their perfect record intact in the elimination round.  

The nail-biting victory solidifies DOJ's dominant start as they extend their winning streak to 3-0. 

On the other end, the heartbreaking loss further deepens the slump for the Senate Sentinels, who remain winless after dropping their third consecutive match in the tournament.  

Nonilon Tagalicud once again spearheaded DOJ’s charge, delivering a double-double performance with 18 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. 

His all-around impact earned him his third consecutive Best Player of the Game recognition in as many outings, cementing his status as the primary engine of the Radiance offense.  

Reflecting on his third straight individual award and the team's relentless effort, Tagalicud emphasized their collective grit.

“I feel blessed really. I thank the Lord for this opportunity to play the game that I love at this stage pero hindi lang ito tungkol sa akin. We really showed a very good team chemistry lalo nung second half. We really showed our heart, our grit at napakita kung ano talaga ang identity ng aming team: Walang iwanan, tulungan lamang.”

With their chemistry firing on all cylinders, DOJ Radiance looks to maintain their unbeaten momentum in the coming rounds, while the Senate Sentinels face an uphill battle to turn their season around.

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SAN JUAN—The GSIS Furies recorded their first conquest of the season after outlasting the Judiciary Magis in a nail-biting showdown, 62-59, at the Playtime FilOil Centre on September 27, 2026. 

Headlining the opening game of a thrilling triple-header, the Furies executed crucial defensive stops in the final stretch to secure the hard-fought victory.  

The victory marks a pivotal turnaround for the GSIS Furies as they snapped their early-season slump and logged their first win. 

Meanwhile, the loss dealt a sudden blow to the Judiciary Magis, halting their momentum and handing them their first defeat after opening the tournament with two straight wins.  

Michael Nuyana anchored the Furies’ offense, earning Best Player of the Game honors with an explosive stat line. 

Nuyana converted 25 big points, grabbed 7 rebounds, dished out 2 assists, and recorded 4 steals, single-handedly disrupting the Magis' rhythm throughout the contest.  

A veteran of the UNTV Cup Regular Season, Nuyana made an immediate impact in his Executive Face Off debut. 

Returning to official league play following a prolonged break since the pandemic, he reflected on the team's preparation: “Yung past few weeks namin nagpa-practice kami so shino-show sa amin yung mga play, defense, and all-around. So, maganda yung naging outcome ngayon.”  

With this victory, the GSIS Furies build momentum moving deeper into the tournament schedule, while the Judiciary Magis look to regroup and rebuild their winning streak in their upcoming fixtures.

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MANILA—The AFP Cavaliers executed a masterclass in tactical basketball to turn back the Senate Sentinels, 82-74, in the third game of the UNTV Cup Executive Face Off 2026 triple-header on September 23, 2026, at the Paco Arena. Displaying relentless precision from start to finish, the Cavaliers fended off every run by the Sentinels to secure their third consecutive victory and remain flawless in the elimination round.  

The setback marks a troubling trend for the Senate Sentinels, who suffered their second straight loss in as many games. Struggles with early-game rhythm and consistency continue to plague Senate as they search for answers early in the tournament, falling to a 0-2 record.  

Reigning Season and Finals MVP Captain Paul Carbajal propelled the Cavaliers with a monster performance to earn Best Player of the Game honors. 

Carbajal dominated the paint and anchored both ends of the floor, tallying a staggering double-double of 30 points and 28 rebounds to prove why he remains the heartbeat of the squad.  

Despite his individual brilliance and the team's winning streak, Carbajal insisted the squad still has plenty of work ahead to refine their synergy. “I-adjust namin yung mga dapat i-adjust, sobrang nahirapan kami na parang bagong team lang kami. So, yun siguro more practice and adjustment,” Carbajal said in his post-game interview.

Sitting comfortably at the top of the standings at 3-0, the AFP Cavaliers look to build on their momentum as the tournament heats up. 

Meanwhile, the Senate Sentinels face an urgent need to regroup, recalibrate, and secure a crucial win in their next outing to keep their postseason hopes alive.

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MANILA—The PNP Responders unleashed an aggressive, relentless attack against the Ombudsman Graftbusters, securing a hard-fought 57-50 victory in the elimination round of the UNTV Cup Executive Face Off 2026. 

Held at the Paco Arena on September 23, 2026, the intense showdown saw PNP extend their winning streak to two games, solidifying their standing in the tournament.

It was a tough pill to swallow for the Ombudsman Graftbusters, who were looking to build momentum coming off an impressive win against the BIR Nation Builders in their previous outing. 

Despite Graftbusters' energetic effort, PNP's persistent physical pressure and tactical execution late in the game ultimately dictated the pace and closed the door on any potential comeback.

Philippine National Police Colonel Joel De Mesa spearheaded the squad's dominant performance, taking home Best Player of the Game honors after delivering a stellar all-around stat line of 17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals. 

De Mesa set the intensity early on both ends of the floor, creating critical scoring opportunities while frustrating the opposition with key defensive stops.

In his post-game interview, Colonel De Mesa emphasized that the cornerstone of their victory was the team's defensive-first mindset instilled by their coaching staff. 

“Ang pinaka-importante naman lagi sa laro is defense. So, kung maganda yung depensa namin susunod nalang yung offense. Yun lagi yung sinasabi ng coaching staff namin na yung defense lang talaga ang improve namin lagi dagil yung offense susunod nalang yan doon sa laro,” De Mesa said in the post game interview.

With this crucial win, the PNP Responders maintain an unblemished record early in the tournament and continue to establish themselves as serious title contenders. 

The Graftbusters, meanwhile, will look to recalibrate their game plan and bounce back strong in their next elimination round appearance.

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