At 43 years old, Chester Tolomia continues to prove that age is just a number.
The PBA veteran once again awed his opponents, even the younger ones, as he led the Judiciary Magis to a thrilling 90-85 win over the defending champions DENR Warriors in the double round elims of the 9th UNTV Cup, Thursday at the Paco Arena in Manila.
Tolomia displayed his skills and experience on the court, scoring 36 points, grabbing 8 rebounds, and dishing out 2 assists. With his impressive performance, the Magis clinched the No. 1 seed in the semis with an 8-2 record.
But Tolomia’s excellence was not the only highlight of the game. The three-time champion Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Cavaliers suffered an 87-75 defeat to the PNP Responders, but still secured an outright semis berth due to the winner over the other rule.
Despite finishing tied for second to third places with the NHA Home Masters at 6-3, the Cavaliers took the second seed by beating the Home Masters, 93-66, on March 5.
Meanwhile, the win over AFP enabled PNP to secure the last quarterfinal ticket while eliminating the defending champions. The Responders finished with a 5-4 card, tying the GSI Furies and the OP-PMS Trailblazers. They will play another round with the Home Masters, with the top two finishers after the round completing the semis cast.
The quarterfinal round is set to begin on April 11, and it promises to be an exciting battle among the league’s top teams. And while the younger players may be the ones grabbing the headlines, the likes of Tolomia continue to prove that age and experience can still make a significant impact on the court.
Meanwhile, the Executive Face-Off, a side event for 40 years-old and above, starts this Sunday at the Novadeci Convention Center in Quezon City.
Tolomia, who is still going strong and deadly on the court, will be joined by Frederick Salamat and another former PBA player Warren Ybanes, who also chipped in 20 and 13 points, respectively, in their recent win.
Rollie Serrano led PNP with 19 points, while ex-UE player Olan Omiping and Anton Tolentino combined for 31 points. With the competition heating up, it remains to be seen who will emerge as the UNTV Cup’s ultimate champion.
