ABUEVA LEADS GIANT RISERS TO ROUSING PBA DEBUT

Hard launch by Titan Ultra. Heralding their arrival in the PBA on the strongest terms possible, the Calvin Abueva-spearheaded Giant Risers zapped Meralco, 100-96, in an early Season 50 Philippine Cup upset at the Ynares Center-Antipolo yesterday.

- By OLMIN LEYBA

Abueva, fully embracing a lead role in the league’s newest ballclub, banged in a new career-high of 41 points, making 16 of them a telling 31-18 salvo that enabled Titan to create separation in the third, 76-63.

The Bolts tried to steal it with a furious fourth-quarter fightback but the Giant Risers held tough and banked on Abueva’s hustle, Joshua Munzon’s clutch free-throw shooting and Jeo Ambohot's putback to ice it.

“Excited kami maglaro ng first game and binuhos namin talaga lahat para para makuha ito,” said the 37-year-old Abueva, who eclipsed his old personal best score of 31 which he posted back in the 2017 Commissioner’s Cup while still with Alaska.