Jasha Gamao

The battle lines were about to be officially drawn in UNTV Cup Season 12 following the high-stakes June 14 games, which solidified the top tier of contenders moving on to the next round. 

Standing tall at the peak of Group A, the undefeated Ombudsman Graftbusters have completely dominated the hardwood with a flawless 5–0 record. 

Joining them in the next stage from the same group are the resilient COMELEC Vanguards, who successfully clinched their spot with a strong 3–2 standing. 

Meanwhile, over in Group B, the heavy-hitting AFP Cavaliers secured their ticket to the second round of eliminations, leading their bracket with an impressive 4–1 track record.

While the powerhouse teams celebrate their advancement, the tournament's fierce format has prematurely slammed the door on three squads. 

In Group A, the DOJ Radiance simply could not find their rhythm, getting sent packing with a tough 1–4 finish. 

Group B saw an even harsher fate for the GSIS Furies, who exit the charity sports league without a single tick in the win column at a disappointing 0–5. 

The NHA Home Masters also had their playoff hopes dashed in Group B, falling short of the cut-off despite fighting hard for a 2–3 record.

With the first wave of eliminations out of the way, the intensity is guaranteed to spike as the surviving public servant squads gear up for the second round of eliminations. 

The remaining teams will have to tighten their defense and sharpen their execution if they want to keep their championship and charity dreams alive. 

As the bracket shrinks, every single possession will count heavier, paving the way for an even more explosive phase of the tournament.

‍

MANILA—The AFP Cavaliers unleashed a ferocious offensive masterclass to demolish the NHA Home Masters, 95–55, in their UNTV Cup Season 12 showdown on June 14 at the Paco Arena. 

The Cavaliers asserted their dominance early and never looked back, orchestrating a massive 40-point blowout that left NHA struggling for answers on both ends of the floor.

Paulino Rebollos shook everyone with his burning offense against the NHA Home Masters. 

The unstoppable forward spearheaded the onslaught by racking up a stellar stat line of 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, earning himself the well-deserved Best Player of the Game honors. 

Following his explosive performance, Rebollos emphasized his intentional mindset coming into the pivotal matchup.

“Pinaghandaan ko talaga ‘tong game na’to kasi importante po sa amin makapasok ng second round na mataas yung morale namin.” Rebollos said in a post-game interview.

With this resounding statement victory, AFP will now march to the next round of this season with high morale and an impressive 4-1 win-loss record. 

Meanwhile, the crushing defeat completely derails the campaign of the NHA Home Masters, who exit the tournament and is officially eliminated this season with a 2-3 record.

‍

MANILA—The Ombudsman Graftbusters continued their relentless march through the UNTV Cup Season 12 elimination round, delivering a convincing 93-81 beating to the DOJ Radiance on June 14 at the Paco Arena. 

The dominant victory ensures the Graftbusters remain completely undefeated, keeping their pristine record intact as they comfortably march into the next round of the tournament. 

In stark contrast, the blowout loss officially seals the fate of the DOJ Radiance, who bow out of the season with a disappointing 1-4 win-loss card.

Mark Chan put on a scoring masterclass to anchor the Graftbusters' offense, earning well-deserved Best Player of the Game honors. 

Chan put up a remarkable 21-point performance, while adding 2 rebounds and 1 steal, to single-handedly puncture the defense of the Radiance and deny them any chance of a season-ending upset. 

His scoring explosion down the stretch served as the definitive engine that kept the Ombudsman’s slate clean while sending their opponents packing.

Reflecting on the team's driving motivation after their masterful performance, Chan emphasized that last year's shortcomings are fueling their current dominance. 

“Yung heartbreak namin during the last season kasi it’s pushing us to work harder kasi alam namin gaano kataas yung competition here in UNTV—lahat ng teams nagpe-prepare, lahat ng teams nagpapalakas. So, we have to work harder than them.” Chan shared in the interview after the game.

MANILA—The COMELEC Suffragettes proved that lightning can indeed strike twice in the same place. In a stunning replication of their preliminary round heroics, the Suffragettes dismantled the powerhouse PhilHealth Health Insurers, 25-23, 23-25, 21-25, 23-25, during the UNTV Volleyball League (UVL) Season 4 single round-robin semifinals on June 10 at the Paco Arena. 

The thrilling four-set victory solidified COMELEC's reputation as PhilHealth's ultimate kryptonite, having previously handed the Health Insurers their solitary loss in the elimination round.

Danika Gendrauli spearheaded the Suffragettes' explosive offense, delivering a masterclass performance to neutralize PhilHealth's net defense. 

The veteran attacker erupted for 23 points, built on 22 ferocious kills and a service ace, to repeatedly puncture the Health Insurers' frontline and bag the Best Player of the Game honors. 

Gendrauli’s tactical scoring and relentless aggression in the transition plays ensured that COMELEC maintained its composure during high-

stakes rallies to seal the upset.

Despite repeating their historic feat against the tournament favorites, Gendrauli emphasized that the Suffragettes refuse to let their guard down as the semifinal race intensifies.

“Sabi namin na di talaga dapat kami mag-relax kasi alam namin babawi talaga yung PhilHealth sa’min since kami lang yung nakatalo sa kanila,” Gendrauli said in a post-game interview.

‍

MANILA—The BFP Lady Firefighters opened their UVL Season 4 single round-robin semifinals campaign with a burning passion, outlasting their fierce rivals, the PNP Lady Patrollers, in a grueling five-set thriller on June 10 at the Paco Arena. 

In a classic back-and-forth battle of grit and willpower, BFP drew first blood in the semis by carving out a 26-24, 19-25, 22-25, 25-12, 15-11 victory. 

The win provided a crucial head start for the top-seeded Lady Firefighters as they look to assert their dominance in the playoffs and keep their championship aspirations blazing.

Spurring the powerhouse squad to the hard-fought victory was Gang Abellana, who brought an undeniable will to win and earned well-deserved Best Player of the Game honors. 

Abellana spearheaded BFP’s frontline offense by unleashing a spectacular 26-point performance, anchored on 25 explosive attacks and a crucial block. 

Her steady leadership and clutch plays down the stretch proved to be the ultimate difference-maker, enabling the Lady Firefighters to dismantle the Lady Patrollers' defense in the final two frames.

For Abellana and the rest of the BFP squad, the high-stakes matchup carried a heavy sense of deja vu, evoking memories of their heartbreaking loss to the same PNP squad in the UVL Season 3 finals. 

Shaking off the ghosts of the past, Abellana highlighted the mental fortitude it took to reverse the outcome this time around. 

“Nag-recover lang, nag-reset, tsaka nag-compose ng sarili paano namin matatawid yung game na di kami natatakot at kaya namin lumaban,” she shared, reflecting the team’s renewed composure and relentless drive to rewrite their destiny this season.

‍