The Magnolia Hotshots waylaid the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, 135-98, on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium behind a balanced attack and hot shooting. With the win, Magnolia improved to 5-5 and stayed in the hunt for a top-eight finish. The loss formally eliminated Titan Ultra from quarterfinals contention.
What Happened?
Clint Chapman rifled in 15 quick points in the opening frame, while rookie Yukien Andrada fired a couple of treys to put Magnolia ahead, 27-21, after one. The Hotshots’ second unit then opened the game up in the second quarter, pouring in 34 points while holding Titan Ultra to just 20.
Magnolia continued its hot shooting in the third, dropping another 38 points to extend its 61-41 halftime lead to 99-75 entering the fourth. The Hotshots kept their foot on the proverbial gas pedal in the fourth, torching Titan with 36 more points en route to the franchise’s highest-scoring game since May 22, 2004, when Purefoods beat Red Bull, 141-138, in triple overtime.
Who Stood Out?
In a slump all conference, Javi Gomez de Liaño finally found some groove, coming off the bench to score 18 points on four 4-point shots. He added 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block in arguably his best game for the Hotshots since his debut back in the PBA Philippine Cup. Yukien Andrada also sparked Magnolia off the bench with 11 points, including two 3-pointers in the first. Zavier Lucero showed out as well, putting up 19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks.
Titan Ultra, on the other hand, relied on Michael Gilmore and Joshua Munzon. Gilmore tallied 31 points on top of 14 rebounds, and Munzon added 24 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals. However, their efforts were not enough against the on-point, red-hot Hotshots.
3 Keys to the Game
- Long-range sniping. Magnolia’s perimeter game was on versus Titan as the Hotshots fired 51 points from the perimeter. That’s thanks to the 11 triples they hit and the trio of 4-point shots Gomez de Liaño converted. Titan Ultra, on the other hand, made just six treys.
- Bench play. The Hotshots got a huge spark from the reserves, who outscored their Titan Ultra counterparts, 59-20. Gomez de Liaño, in fact, almost outscored the Titan bench by himself. Andrada, Paul Lee, and Ian Sangalang also contributed, combining for 28.
- Consistency. Magnolia played arguably its best game thus far on Wednesday, performing well from the opening whistle to the final buzzer. The Hotshots started strong, picked up the pace in the second, and continued playing superbly all the way to the end.
Next Up for the PBA
Friday, May 1, 2026 | Smart Araneta Coliseum
TNT Tropang 5G vs. Phoenix Fuel Masters (5:15 p.m.)
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. Meralco Bolts (7:30 p.m.)
