Pampanga dominated South Cotabato, 93-75, on Tuesday night, securing the 2024 MPBL Preseason Invitational title at the Lagao Gym in General Santos City.
Fueled by outstanding performances from Encho Serrano and Justine Baltazar, Pampanga surged ahead, reaching an 81-48 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Despite the Warriors’ attempt to rally, closing the gap to 65-83, Baltazar and Serrano responded decisively, sealing the title with a final score of 91-67.
Serrano, with 29 points and 3 rebounds, earned the Best Player honors over Baltazar, who contributed 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Jeff Viernes and College of St. Benilde recruit Sonny Estil added 8 points each, while Jhaymo Eguilos and Rence Alcoriza chipped in with 6 points each for the Giant Lanterns, dominating the boards with a 55-39 advantage.
Despite John Wilson’s impressive performance with 26 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, the Warriors struggled as no other player reached double digits.
Pampanga’s towering presence, featuring 6-foot-8 Baltazar, 6-6 Eguilos, and 6-7 Kevin Santos, resulted in 56 points in the paint compared to the Warriors’ 20.
Pampanga also capitalized on second-chance opportunities, scoring 23 points compared to the Warriors’ 6, despite South Cotabato forcing 16 turnovers.
MPBL Founder and CEO Manny Pacquiao awarded the trophy and the P1.5 million champion’s purse to the Giant Lanterns.
In consolation, South Cotabato received P500,000, presented by MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes.
In the battle for third place, Batangas City Tanduay defeated Quezon City TODA Aksyon, 68-60, securing P300,000.
The Batangas Athletics, led by RJ Ramirez, Juneric Baloria, Jeckster Apinan, and Cedric Ablaza, rebounded in the second half to claim victory.
The tournament, held in conjunction with GenSan’s Kalinangan Festival, marked a prelude to the 2024 MPBL Regular Season starting on March 23.
Valenzuela, Manila, Bataan, and guest team GenSan Bulalakaw of Pacquiao each received P125,000 despite exiting after the elimination round.
