TERRAFIRMA began the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup on a positive note, routing Titan Ultra, 112-82, on Wednesday in an opening game pitting the league's two minnows at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Jerrick Ahanmisi picked up where he left off from the PBA All-Star Weekend where he won the Three-Point Shootout, setting the tone with his effective scoring in a rare blowout win by the perennial cellar-dwellers Dyip.
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Import Ali Mubashar was also impressive from both inside and out in the Dyip’s biggest win in franchise history - which, by the way, also matched the team's win total in the entirety of the season-opening Philippine Cup.
The previous franchise record was a 28-point blowout by the then-Columbian Dyip over Blackwater, 126-98, on April 22, 2018 to kick start its Commissioner’s Cup campaign.
Mubashar topscored for Terrafirma with 27 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 4-of-8 from three-point range. Ahanmis helped Terrafirma pull away with 17 of his 28 points in the third quarter.
The Dyip outscored the Giant Risers, 37-22, in that third period to all but put the game to bed.
Ahanmisi and Mubashar also combined in a backbreaking 16-2 blast that gave the Dyip an 89-62 lead at the end of the third quarter.
“It’s a team effort,” said Terrafirma coach Ronald Tubid. “Ang emphasis namin sa team is ‘yung culture na binabago namin on offense and defense.”
Michael Gilmore had 33 points and 13 rebounds in a losing effort for the Giant Risers, who also got 32 points from Joshua Munzon in Rensy Bajar's debut as head coach.
The scores:
Terrafirma 112 – Mubashar 27, J. Ahanmisi 26, Eriobu 17, Hernandez 15, Chiu 6, Hanapi 5, Bravo 4, Umali 3, Zaldivar 2, Garcia 2, Adamos 2, Catapusan 0.
Titan Ultra 82 – Gilmore 33, Munzon 32, Balanza 6, Dionisio 3, Flores 2, Javillonar 2, Ular 2, Yu 0, Melecio 0, Ambohot 0, Omega 0, Caralipio 0, Cuntapay 0, Pessumal 0.
Quarters: 26-23; 52-40; 89-62; 112-82.
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