The Titan Ultra Giant Risers, who’ve lost by an average margin of 31.5 points in their first two games in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, pulled off the first true shocker of the midseason tourney on Saturday. Playing inspired basketball, Titan turned back the San Miguel Beermen, 119-112, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo to improve its record to 1-2.
What Happened?
Titan Ultra roared to a strong start in this one, bucking an early 2-7 deficit to finish the first quarter ahead, 28-18, thanks to a 12-2 windup. The Beermen responded in kind in the second frame, with Don Trollano and June Mar Fajardo combining for 19 points as San Miguel outscored the Giant Risers, 31-24, to enter halftime down by just three, 52-49.
Joshua Munzon and Michael Gilmore then led an explosive uprising for Titan after halftime, with Gilmore firing 16 big points and Munzon adding 7 in the Giant Risers’ 41-26 third quarter that stretched their lead to 93-75. The Beermen then unleashed a 15-3 run to threaten at 96-90 before Titan Ultra restored some order. San Miguel again threatened late, getting to within four points twice in the last four minutes, only for the Giant Risers to do just enough to get the win.
Who Stood Out?
Munzon and Gilmore, as expected, led the Giant Risers’ gigantic stand. Munzon finished with 29 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals, while Gilmore tallied 28 markers and had 13 caroms, 1 assist, 3 steals, and 1 block. Importantly, the two shot a combined 21-for-40 from the field and 4-for-11 from distance. Cade Flores also shone, delivering 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, apart from his usual energy and intensity.
San Miguel, on the other hand, drew solid games from Cjay Perez (27 points, 7 assists) and Don Trollano (21 points, 3 assists), as well as the usual June Mar Fajardo double-double (15 points, 17 rebounds).
3 Keys to the Game
- Hot shooting. The Giant Risers shot a blistering 53.3% from the floor, which was in part due to solid execution and in part due to San Miguel’s rather lackadaisical defense.
- Turnovers. Both teams turned the ball over a lot in this game, but Titan Ultra committed fewer errors—16 to San Miguel’s 21—overall. The result was a 29-21 advantage in turnover points.
- Import play. A huge difference in this game was the play of the two imports. While Titan Ultra got 28 points and 13 rebounds from Gilmore, along with a 16-point third-quarter explosion, San Miguel got practically nothing from Michael Lee, who could muster only 4 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists and was on the bench in the fourth quarter when the Beermen rallied.
Next Up for the PBA
Sunday, March 22, 2026 | Ynares Center Antipolo
Blackwater Bossing vs. Magnolia Hotshots (5:00 p.m.)
NLEX Road Warriors vs. TNT Tropang 5G (7:30 p.m.)
