Fuel Masters rout Giant Risers by 33 to go 2-0

Phoenix delivered a commanding performance in its second game in the 2026 PBA Commissioner's Cup, cruising past Titan Ultra, 109–76, on Sunday at the Ynares Center II in Montalban.

Unlike their narrow escape against Magnolia Hotshots in their conference opener less than 48 hours earlier, the Fuel Masters wasted no time asserting control.

Phoenix raced to a 33–17 advantage in the first quarter and maintained command the rest of the way, eventually pulling away decisively in the fourth period to secure its second straight victory.

The win kept Phoenix unbeaten under head coach Charles Tiu and tied the team with Terrafirma Dyip atop the early standings with identical 2–0 records.

This also marked the first time in five years that the franchise opened a conference with back-to-back wins, the last coming during the 2021–22 Governors’ Cup when import Paul Harris suited up for the squad.

"As a coach, we try to envision ourselves winning naman every game. Of course, it's still somewhat unexpected kasi nga we were able to upset Magnolia so we're just thankful that we're 2-and-0," offered the 37-year-old mentor.

"I believe in this team, I really believe in the players that we have. And I think we can compete with every team naman--or at least give ourselves a chance to win every game. 'Yun lang naman ang hinihingi namin," Tiu added.

Phoenix once again relied on balanced scoring, with five players finishing in double figures. Ricci Rivero led the way with 18 points and nine rebounds, along with four assists and two steals.

Import James Dickey III nearly posted a second consecutive 20-20 outing, tallying 17 points and 17 rebounds to go with six assists, four steals, and four blocks.

Kenneth Tuffin added 17 points, highlighted by three triples, while Evan Nelle contributed 14 points and eight assists. Bryan Santos chipped in 13 markers, with the trio combining for 44 points from the Phoenix bench.

Titan Ultra managed to threaten briefly in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to seven twice. The last came at 69–62 after a basket by Michael Gilmore with 2:20 remaining in the period.

But Phoenix quickly responded. Kai Ballungay split his free throws before Santos drilled a three-pointer to restore an 11-point cushion entering the final frame.

Nelle then put the game firmly out of reach, opening the fourth quarter with a four-pointer that sparked a decisive 16–2 surge. He capped the run with another long-distance bomb from 27 feet, stretching the lead to 89–66 with 8:38 remaining.

"Actually, I didn't have to say much. I think with this type of team that we're trying to build, they could kind of police themselves," shared Tiu.

"They took the challenge among themselves and they stepped up; Ricci, Evan made some big shots. They were able to weather the storm and that's how we want to play naman eh. We don't wanna panic," he added.

For Titan Ultra, Gilmore was the lone bright spot, finishing with 27 points and 29 rebounds despite committing 10 turnovers.