Titan Ultra halted an alarming four-game slide with a 97-86 victory over Blackwater in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Philippine Cup on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Calvin Abueva exploded with a double-double of 23 points and 14 rebounds as the Giant Risers improved with a 2-4 win-loss record.

Head coach Johnedel Cardel said he had to remind his boys to stick to their game plan in the second half to emerge victorious.

“We had to change our attitude in the second half because we played our own game. We weren’t able to push the ball and that’s why Blackwater won the first half,” Cardel said.

“But in the third quarter and fourth quarter, we did our game plan, especially in pushing the ball and playing defense. We were able to limit (Sedrick) Barefield somehow.”

Titan Ultra had a scare early in the final period after Christian David buried a triple with 9:04 remaining to cut the lead to two, 72-70.

A free throw by Joshua Munzon with 3:03 left in the game punctuated a 19-5 run to get the Giant Risers out of trouble.

Munzon fired 18 points for Titan Ultra while Fran Yu scored 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter.

Barefield led the Bossing with 18 points but it wasn’t enough as they absorbed their fourth loss in five games.