ANTIPOLO – Titan Ultra caught a big fish in netting its breakthrough victory of the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup following a 119-112 stunner of the debuting San Miguel Beer at the Ynares Center on Saturday evening.
Blown out by 30-plus in their first two games, the Giant Risers exploded for 41 big points in the third quarter in which they led by as many as 21. Still, they had to repel a comeback bid by the traditional powerhouse to secure the victory.
And by finally barging into the win column, the youth-laden crew has also given Rensy Bajar his first-ever win as a PBA head coach, doing so at the expense of the very same team that blew them out by 41 in the last Philippine Cup.
(C) PBA Images
“Challenge lang namin siguro — especially sa akin, challenge ko sa mga players: have some pride. Number one on their jobs, on this team, because this Titan team can beat anybody,” said Bajar, who took over from Johnedel Cardel.
“So ang game plan lang namin, since San Miguel is coming off a championship last conference, siguro medyo nasa cloud nine pa sila. Tsaka at the same time, medyo… Kumbaga baka hindi pa nila kami sineryoso,” he added.
Joshua Munzon starred in the triumph with 29 points on the way to earning Player of the Game honors as his assertiveness in the fourth got rewarded.
Last season’s Most Improved Player scored 11 in the final period alone as he helped string together the strong windup to leave their foes behind.
SMB got within four multiple times inside the final 3:46, but Munzon showed poise. He followed up Cade Flores’ conversion from inside with a layup to end the break and push their lead to 116-108 with 1:28 to go.
He then split his free throws to make it a two-possession lead at 117-112 with 34.0 seconds left, before Fran Yu iced the game with a perfect trip to the line.
Flores himself finished with all-around numbers with 13 points on top of eight rebounds and five assists. Yu, on the other hand, flirted with a double-double showing as he delivered nine points and 10 assists plus two steals.
Import Michael Gilmore was impressive as well, finishing with 28 points and 13 rebounds as he clearly outclassed his counterpart, Marcus Lee.
Lee, an NBL champion in 2024, only had four points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals, and was a -25 in the 24 minutes he played.
(C) PBA Images
That poor showing compelled Coach Leo Austria to go all-Filipino in the fourth, and it did work. The team threatened after being down 83-62, but their efforts still weren’t enough as Titan Ultra had enough in the tank to finish.
CJ Perez led the Beermen with 27 points and seven assists. Don Trollano made 21 points, while Mo Tautua’a had 18 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks.
Nine-time MVP June Mar Fajardo registered 15 points and 17 rebounds for the defending Philippine Cup champions, in the defeat that brought flashbacks of their slow start in the same conference last October.
San Miguel is now left staring at a tougher sailing since it goes up against Converge, TNT, Macau, and Ginebra in its next four outings.
The Scores:
Titan Ultra 119 – Munzon 29, Gilmore 28, Flores 13, Yu 9, Javillonar 8, Ular 6, Sajonia 5, Balanza 4, Omega 4, Cuntapay 4, Pessumal 4, Melecio 3, Dionisio 2.
San Miguel 112 – Perez 27, Trollano 21, Tautuaa 18, Fajardo 15, Teng 9, Rosales 7, Lassiter 6, Lee 4, Tiongson 3, Brondial 2, Cahilig 0, Miller 0.
Quarterscores: 28-18, 52-49, 93-75, 119-112.
