San Mig Coffee needed just the first quarter to ditch its championship hangover and play the rest of Wednesday night’s game against Globalport looking fit and ready to win another title.

The Mixers shrugged off the rust quickly and let the entire PBA Commissioner’s Cup field know of their menacing form as San Mig tore Globalport apart in the final three periods for a 91-75 victory at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

Ian Sangalang, one of the Game 7 heroes in the Mixers’ emotional Philippine Cup triumph over Rain or Shine less than three weeks ago, gave San Mig the spark it needed in the second quarter that left the Batang Pier dumbfounded.

The 6-foot-7 center out of San Sebastian, the second overall pick in the last Rookie Draft, scored 11 points coming off the bench and San Mig had 31 total points as a team as the Mixers erased a 16-20 first quarter deficit with ease and took a 47-43 halftime lead.

“I think we are a little different this time around,” San Mig coach Tim Cone explained after it was pointed out, that unlike the last Philippine Cup where they started 0-3 after winning the previous tournament, they were already sharp in their first game.

“I think the last (championship) hangover we had was because of injuries (to several players),” Cone said. “The key right now has been our second group. Hopefully, we could get into the playoffs with our second group.”

Sangalang went on to pace all San Mig shooters with 16 points in just nine field goal attempts and 23 minutes, and import James Mays had 15 and eight rebounds in just 32 as the second unit really made life easy for Cone’s superstars.

Evan Brock had 27 points and 28 rebounds for the Batang Pier, who went down in flames yet again after failing to give their hardworking import the support that he needs.

Considered as a loaded team with stars like Jay Washington and Alex Cabagnot and a pair of high-scoring rookies in Terrence Romeo and RR Garcia, Globalport was an atrocious 34% from the field.

The Batang Pier didn’t make a single triple in 17 tries although they handily won the rebounding battle, 61-44.

Their third straight loss means that the Batang Pier would now have to start winning games – and win them in a string – as the tournament calls for a single round elimination with the last two teams getting the boot.

Qualifying as Nos. 7 and 8 also carries a distinct disadvantage as it would mean needing to beat the top two teams two straight times to stay alive.

Meanwhile, Meralco notched its first win earlier in the night after getting a balanced offensive from everyone in an 85-76 decision of defending champion Alaska in the first game.

Brian Butch, the Bolts’ 6-foot-10 import, drained six triples and Gary David was big in the fourth quarter as Meralco rose to 1-1 while dealing the Aces their second loss in three games.

“We did a good job of competing today despite out obvious shortage in players,” the eloquent Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio told reporters. “We were able to do the job because of defense. It was really our defense which spelled the difference.”

Alaska also looked to be in disarray for most of the night as Meralco set the tempo of the game.

Robert Dozier, last year’s Best Import, scored just 17 points and Calvin Abueva, last season’s top rookie, fouled out after just making one field goal, dramatizing how the Aces struggled throughout the game.

Butch finished with 27 points and 17 rebounds and three others tossed in twin digits for Gregorio, with David winding up with 12 points like Cliff Hodge. Reynel Hugnatan scattered 14.