Macau just can’t stop haunting Titan Ultra. The Giant Pandas erased a 19-point hole to stun the Giant Risers, 131-126, and snag their first win of the PBA Governors’ Cup on Saturday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

De’Vondre Perry bulldozed his way to 32 points and 22 rebounds, while Ramon Cao added a 28-point, 13-rebound double-double. Together, the duo combined for 60 points to keep Macau’s playoff hopes alive after an ugly 0-4 start to the conference.

It’s a script Titan knows all too well. Macau’s first win as a guest team in the last Commissioner’s Cup also came against the Giant Risers, 119-107, back on April 21 — and once again, the Giant Pandas had to dig out of an early hole to get it done.

Elliott’s Halftime Fire Lights Up Macau’s Comeback

Titan came out swinging, racing to a 30-11 lead and carrying a 67-51 cushion into the break. But coach Marcus Elliott wasn’t having it.

“We were just able to piece it together today. But we started off badly too. Our first half was not acceptable. They just outplayed us,” Elliott said.

“My speech at halftime was, ‘Hey, man, get your head out of your behind and come out and play hard. They’re just outhustling us,’ but we were able to put it together.”

The message landed. Kobey Lam erupted for 10 of his 19 points in the third quarter alone, helping Macau flip a 51-67 deficit into a 95-94 lead entering the fourth.

Jenning Leung, playing his first game of the conference, was scoreless in the first half but exploded for 22 points after Elliott demanded more aggression. “Jenning is a great team player, always has a great attitude. He was being too passive in the first half … I basically just had to tell him, ‘Stop being too nice. We need you to put your foot on the pedal, be aggressive, look for yours,'” Elliott said.

Fran Yu’s Franchise Record Not Enough for Titan

Leung caught fire again early in the fourth, scoring 14 points in the first five minutes to push Macau ahead, 114-107. Titan briefly wrested the lead back at 120-119 before Cao took over down the stretch to seal the win. Damien Chongqui chipped in 19 points and six assists for Macau.

Tirrell Brown led all Titan scorers with 30 points and 14 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the late surge. Joshua Munzon added 19 points, while Fran Yu delivered a career-high 14 assists — a new franchise record that also ties the season-high mark set by NLEX’s Robert Bolick in the last Commissioner’s Cup.

Despite the milestone, the Giant Risers fell to their second straight loss against Macau as an import team, watching another big lead slip away in painful fashion.