CAN THE TITAN ULTRA GIANT RISERS "RISE" TO THE OCCASION?

IMAGE FROM CALVIN ABUEVA'S IG

So it’s official. NorthPort Batang Pier is no more, and Pureblends is now in.

Their new name?

The Titan Maxx Giant Risers.

Hmmm.

Oh.

They changed it to Titan Ultra Giant Risers.

Well, good for them.

When I went to Shopee, this is what I saw while looking for Titan Maxx.

When I went to Lazada, this is what I saw.

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So yeah, I guess Titan Ultra is an upgrade?

I’m not going to diss the new name though. It’s actually a very striking moniker. It even reminds me of the days when Nelson “The Bull” Asaytono and Enrico “The Raging Bull” Villanueva suited up for Red Bull. This time, the Titan Maxx Giant Risers are headlined by none other than Calvin “The Beast” Abueva.

Again… hmmm.

Now here’s the funny part. I’m still not completely sure what Titan Maxx actually is. Some reports say it’s a dietary supplement. Others make it look like, well… a product that helps with “enhancement.” Either way, my bad if I got it wrong. But the bigger point is that the branding is definitely bold and loaded with machismo.

And that’s exactly why companies still see value in investing in a PBA franchise. It’s the fastest way for a brand to get primetime exposure. Reminds me of those old Chinese infomercials that sold breast-enhancing soaps, capsules, and exercise machines by leaning "hard" into their “promise.”

In the same way, this team runs the risk of becoming a punchline if they don’t deliver on expectations.

We all know the NorthPort franchise’s reputation before the sale. For years, they had enough tools to be competitive, but they would trade away their best assets, effectively playing the role of SMC’s farm team. Hard to believe that a squad with championship-level talent kept flaming out just to acquire aging stars or role players.

Look at Arvin Tolentino. He was one of only three players in serious consideration for last season’s MVP. Sure, he was a long shot (haha), but he was right there in the conversation. And now? He’s off to Korea, chasing bigger paychecks.

The good thing about the Giant Risers is that they actually have talent on the roster. Aside from Calvin Abueva, they’ve got Joshua Munzon, Fran Yu, Cade Flores, James Kwekuteye, Damie Cuntapay, Jerrick Balanza, and rookie Chris Koon as key players. Add to that Jeo Ambohot trying to rewrite his PBA career, Von Pessumal eager to shed his “benchwarmer” tag, Mario Barasi out to make Ginebra regret leaving him unsigned, and Aljun Melecio hoping for a new lease on his PBA life.

On top of that, the team still holds the rights to Arvin Tolentino, Greg Slaughter, and Dave Ildefonso. They’ve also tendered offers to CJ Austria, Bryan Sajonia, and Mark Sangco. Of that group, I think Slaughter is the one they absolutely need to secure. I don’t know how Barasi will pan out, but if Gregzilla returns to beast mode, he’ll be the perfect counter to June Mar Fajardo, who remains the only true big-man anchor left in SMC’s arsenal.

At the end of the day, the Titan Ultra Giant Risers will need time to prove themselves. Whether they rise because of supplements or “something else,” they better make sure they rise in the standings too.