Calvin Abueva fired a career-high 41 points and was in the middle of some clutch plays in the stretch that led Titan Ultra to a resounding PBA debut with a 100-96 decision over Meralco last 8 October at the start of their Philippine Cup campaign at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The player known throughout his career as "the Beast" lived up to said moniker in the last three quarters, enabling the Giant Risers to buck a slow start, lead by as many as 19 points and hold off the Bolts' last-ditch uprising in the endgame.
"Kilala naman natin kung gaano kalakas ang katawan niyan, 'tsaka puso niya talagang 'The Beast' so we go for him," said Titan coach Johnedel Cardel after steering the team to the victory barely a week after being tapped to handle the team formerly known as NorthPort.
As if taking the cue from Abueva, Joshua Munzon fully came alive in the second half to finish with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists while Cade Flores led the Giant Risers' bench with 10 points.
Clearly, however, it was Abueva who showed the way as he exploded for 10 points in the second quarter to punctuate Titan's rise from a 0-11 deficit and tie the count at 45-all before exploding for 16 more in the third period to spearhead a 31-18 attack that pushed it ahead, 76-63.
The difference even got to as much as 90-71 before CJ Cansino and Brandon Bates led a fiery Meralco fightback that brought them within three points twice, the last at 95-98.
But Abueva's scrappy plays prevented the Bolts from coming closer each time with timely passes, taps or loose ball recovery with the last leading to a pair of Munzon charities that practically iced the game, 100-95, only 4.9 ticks left.
"Lahat kami excited, eh," was how Abueva explained his team's start to a 0-of-8 field shooting laced by three turnovers.
"Excited kaming maglaro ng first game, and 'yun nga naibigay naming itong laro na ito at naibubuhos namin ang depensa namin," added Abueva.
"Opensa namin ibinigay lang iyan nu'ng nakaka-stop kami."
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