PBA: Joshua Munzon, Titan Ultra look to bounce back against Magnolia

The Titan Ultra Giant Risers are eyeing a strong response as they take on the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2025 PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup on Friday, October 17.

Tip off is at 5:15 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

[RELATED STORY: Tenorio says Magnolia win isn’t about him but the players: ‘I’m just here to guide them’]

Coming off a stinging 129-92 loss to Converge, Titan Ultra will look to regain their footing after a promising debut win was followed by a tough outing — one made even harder by the early exit of star forward Calvin Abueva.

The Beast, who exploded for 41 points in Titan’s opening-day win over Meralco, was forced to leave the game early in the first quarter due to a hamstring injury. Before exiting, Abueva managed two points and a rebound in under five minutes of action.

In his absence, Titan struggled on both ends of the floor and trailed by as many as 39 points, though Joshua Munzon tried to rally the squad with an impressive 41-point performance. His offensive outburst, however, wasn’t enough to stop Converge’s dominance.

It remains uncertain whether Abueva will suit up against Magnolia, but Titan will need a total team effort to compete with the in-form Hotshots, who opened their campaign with an 80-73 win over Ginebra. New coach LA Tenorio guided Magnolia to victory behind stellar performances from Zavier Lucero, Jerom Lastimosa, and Javi Gomez de Liaño.

For Titan Ultra, a bounce-back effort will require Munzon and Cade Flores to step up again, with or without Abueva. The team’s resiliency will be tested as they aim to get back on track and prove they can hang with the league’s top contenders.

[ALSO READ: PBA: Calvin Abueva sustains hamstring injury in Titan Ultra loss to Converge]

(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)

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[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]