Titan Ultra Giant Risers Pull Off Shocking Upset Over San Miguel Beermen in PBA Commissioner's Cup
In a stunning turn of events, the Titan Ultra Giant Risers delivered a jaw-dropping victory by defeating the powerhouse San Miguel Beermen, 119-112, in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner's Cup. The electrifying match took place on Saturday evening, March 21, 2026, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, marking a significant upset in the league.
Star Performances Lead Titan Ultra to Triumph
Joshua Munzon was instrumental in the win, pouring in 29 points, while Michael Gilmore contributed a dominant double-double with 28 points and 13 rebounds. Their efforts propelled the Giant Risers to an impressive victory, overcoming a San Miguel team that had been averaging 30.5 points in their first two games of the conference. This loss was a bitter pill for the Beermen to swallow, as they struggled to contain Titan Ultra's offensive surge.
Coach Bajar's Motivational Strategy Pays Off
Newly appointed Titan Ultra coach Rensy Bajar played a pivotal role in the team's success. Before the game, he challenged his players to embrace a sense of pride and focus on their roles. "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," Bajar stated. He speculated that San Miguel might have underestimated his squad, coming off a championship win in the previous conference. "So ang gameplan 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.
Game Highlights and Key Moments
The Titan Ultra established a commanding 83-62 lead by the third quarter, only to face a fierce comeback from the Beermen in the fourth quarter, which narrowed the score to 110-106. However, the Giant Risers held their nerve, executing clutch plays down the stretch to secure their first win of the conference. In another match, the Meralco Bolts maintained their perfect record by defeating the Phoenix Fuel Super LPG Fuelmasters, 93-86. Jason Brickman starred with a breakout performance, recording 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and zero turnovers.
Meralco coach Luigi Trillo praised his team's effort, saying, "Our first stringers took care of the job and it was complemented well by the bench. The second group kind of put up a good job in the third to build a cushion for us then the first group returned to complete the job." The Bolts remain undefeated after two games.
Final Scores from the Games
First Game:
- Titan (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.
- SMB (112) – Perez 27, Trollano 21, Tautuaa 18, Fajardo 15, Teng 9, Rosales 7, Lassiter 6, Lee 4, Tiongson 3, Brondial 2.
Second Game:
- Meralco (93) - Banchero 17, Brickman 16, Jones 15, Newsome 11, Cansino 10, Quinto 8, Black 6, Mocon 4, Magbuhos 2, Almazan 2, Hodge 2.
- Phoenix (86) - Dickey 28, Rivero 22, Tuffin 11, Santos 9, Nelle 6, Perkins 4, Escandor 3, Caperal 2, Cullar 1.
