San Miguel Beer banked on the explosive game of import Gabe Freeman to post a 114-105 win over Burger King to get a share of the lead of the 2008-09 Motolite-PBA Fiesta Conference Sunday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Freeman waxed hot with 40 points. 17 of these came in the final quarter that helped the Beermen in dousing the uprising of the Titans, who came back from a 26-point deficit late in the third period only to fall short.

The win was two in a row for San Miguel in as many games to join Purefoods Tender Juicy at the top of the team standings.

"Blessing in disguise ang nangyari," said Beermen mentor Siot Tanquingcen, referring to what happened to Nate Carter. "We knew he is a livewire and he can bring aggressiveness to the team."

Carter was San Miguel's original choice but he failed to get his release papers from his previous ballclub St. Etienne in France.

Anthony Washington added 17 points while Jonas Villanueva chipped in 16 for the Beermen who played without an import in their first game against Alaska but still won, 93-89.

Arwind Santos led the Titans with 26 points while Beau Belga hit a career-high 17 markers for coach Yeng Guiao who dropped his first game after a 2-0 start with his new squad.

Burger King appeared sluggish after a fine first quarter as the Beermen held them to just 14 points in the next stage and took a 56-42 halftime lead.

San Miguel padded the lead to 26 points, 81-55, late in the third quarter before the Titans made a run in the final period.

Holding a 93-77 spread, San Miguel found itself in a serious encounter as Burger King unleashed a 12-2 run to cut the lead to just 95-89 with still 4:32 left in the game.

Freeman, a teammate of Ginebra's Rod Nealy and JJ Sullinger of Coke in the Albany Patroons in the CBA, scored on a difficult drive to push the lead back to 97-89 but the Titans were not done yet as JR Qunahan hit a jump shot and Gary David hit a triple to move within three, 94-97, 3:34 remaining.

But Freeman anchored a crucial 9-4 exchange capped by Villanueva's three-pointer at the top of the key to seal win for the Beermen.

Burger King import Shawn Daniels was held to just 10 points in the game and he was not fielded in the final period by Guiao.

Isaac nails first win

In the second game, rookie Jeff Chan hit a fall-away jumper over two-time MVP Willie Miller 5.7 to help Barako Bull to a 92-90 upset win over Alaska, to give head coach Leo Isaac his first win in the PBA.

Chan shattered the 90-all standoff with a jumper then completed his heroics after altering Miller's game-tying lay-up and handed the Aces their second straight loss.

Scooter McFadgon led all scorers with 36 points while John Arigo contributed 15 markers off the bench for Barako Bull, which snapped a two-game slide.

Miller led Alaska with 23 points while LA Tenorio added 18 to go along with his eight rebounds and seven assists. Miller and Tenorio combined for 12 of the team's 24 turnovers in the game.