AMID rumors about a potential trade involving top scorer Joshua Munzon, critics have been quick to label the Titan Ultra Giant Risers as another 'farm team.'
However, newly appointed Titan Ultra team manager Jessica Arsolon was quick to shut down this narrative, offering a hard "no" to the detractors as he laid down a plan that ditches short-sighted moves in favor of long-term investments.
READ Titan Ultra now 'actively entertaining' trade offers for Munzon
The Fil-Indian neophyte PBA executive revealed that the Titan Ultra brain trust is adopting a proven developmental blueprint that will try to mirror how Rain or Shine built a highly competitive, independent squad from the ground up.
Under Yeng Guiao and co-team owners Terry Que and Raymond Yu, Rain or Shine has won two league championships and reached the PBA Finals six times behind drafted players who blossomed in Guiao's system.
"Navigating a league dominated by sister-team setups requires a strategic model for growth. The Rain or Shine prototype has proven highly effective over the last decade, and that is the standard we are aiming for," Arsolon said.
To execute this vision, the Giant Risers are heavily focused on the upcoming PBA Rookie Draft after building up a formidable arsenal of one first-round pick and four second-round selections as well as another first-round pick in Season 52.
If the formcharts hold, Titan Ultra will likely pick in the Top 3 of the Season 51 draft, which expects a bumper crop led by former La Salle stars Mike Phillips and Kean Baclaan, as well as other prized talent from players currently based overseas.
The Giant Risers also own the Season 52 first-round pick and the Season 51 second-round pick of Converge from the Dave Ildefonso trade.
"People need to understand that this is only our second conference. We're still establishing our competitive foothold, but I'm confident that this franchise has a brilliant future, and that foundation begins with the upcoming draft," Arsolon said.
"Through this draft, we will finally have the opportunity to acquire the specific pieces we need to truly compete — players who can step in and grow alongside our system,” she added. “It’s important to remember that the majority of our current roster were inherited from the previous [NorthPort] team."
Addressing the recent departure of Calvin Abueva and rumors surrounding Munzon, Arsolon provided a clear managerial perspective to dispel notions of franchise incompetence.
"We never had any internal issues with these players. However, in Calvin's case, he actively requested a trade. Rather than forcing a disgruntled player to stay and disrupting team chemistry, we honored his request.
"Trading Calvin was not part of our overarching strategy; it was an incidental adjustment," Arsolon clarified, proving the team prioritizes a healthy locker room environment.
'I'm a Calvin fan'
Despite the business side of the sport, Arsolon couldn't hide her personal appreciation for the former Titan Ultra star.
"Sayang nga, hindi ko na inabutan si Calvin dito. I have always been a fan of him, we came from the same school, San Sebastian, so I have known and idolized him for a very long time," she said.
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