Terrafirma begins road to shedding loser image with rout of Titan
In one of the rare moments of success in a history often filled with misery, Terrafirma opened its PBA Commissioner’s Cup campaign on a winning note by routing Titan Ultra, 112-82.
And coach Ronald Tubid is banking on the culture the Dyip are slowly trying to build as they attempt to shed their losing image, leaning on the likes of Jerrick Ahanmisi, 6-foot-9 rookie Geo Chiu and towering import Ali Mubashar.
“We want to make sure that everyone’s excited going into practice,” Tubid said after Wednesday’s rout at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, describing the team’s buildup following a one-win campaign in the Philippine Cup.
“That’s why before the game they kept asking for more. That’s what we’re trying to keep building within this team,” he added after Terrafirma posted the most lopsided victory in franchise history.
Much of the attention before tipoff centered on how Chiu would fare in his debut. The rookie finished with six points and 14 rebounds in 26 minutes.
But it was Ahanmisi who stole the show in the third quarter.
He poured in 17 of his 26 points during that stretch as the Dyip pulled away and turned the contest—marking the return of PBA action after a long break—into a rout.
The performance appeared to be a carryover from Ahanmisi’s showing during the All-Star Weekend in Candon, Ilocos Sur, where he won both the Obstacle Challenge and the three-point shootout.
Mubashar, one of three imports in the conference standing at least seven feet, added 27 points and 11 rebounds in an outing that further impressed the Dyip camp, with Tubid noting how easy the import has been to work with.
Opening a conference with a victory is no guarantee of what lies ahead for Terrafirma, which hopes to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2024 Philippine Cup.
Titan Ultra may have been only the first step, with the first real test looming Saturday when the Dyip travel to Rodriguez, Rizal, to face Converge at Ynares Center, Montalban.
Converge was playing guest team Macau, known as the Black Knights, at press time.
The FiberXers entered that game with 7-foot import Kylor Kelley and the returning Mikey Williams, back after a three-year absence following lengthy negotiations dating back to his time with TNT.
“It would be nice if we could polish our game more and see how far this team can go,” Tubid said.
Joseph Eriobu added 17 points while fellow Mapua alumnus Paolo Hernandez scored 15 for the Dyip, who played without key players Mark Nonoy and Louie Sangalang.
Terrafirma has yet to disclose the status of both players.
Import Earl Michael Gilmore and Joshua Munzon scored 33 and 32, respectively, for Titan Ultra.
