Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times
(C) MPBL

Basketball

Pampanga sweeps San Juan, advances to MPBL Nationals with Dubai showdown awaiting


Pampanga triumphed at home on Monday, defeating San Juan, 81-73, to retain the North Division crown in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Sixth Season on Monday.

The game, played at the packed Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga, saw the Giant Lanterns overcome a tough challenge from the Knights, scoring the final eight points of the game to seal a 2-0 sweep in the best-of-three series.

With the win, Pampanga stays on track to become the MPBL’s first back-to-back national champion.

The Giant Lanterns will face the winner of the South Division Finals between the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters and the Quezon Huskers.

As a bonus, Pampanga is already assured of a trip to Dubai, UAE, where the first two games of the MPBL National Finals will be held on December one and three.

Reigning MVP Justine Baltazar delivered another stellar performance, finishing with 24 points, 18 rebounds, four assists, and two steals, earning the Daily Fantasy Best Player honors.

Other key contributors for Pampanga included Archie Concepcion with 19 points and three rebounds, Encho Serrano with 11 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals, and Brandon Ramirez with seven points, nine rebounds, and three steals.

San Juan’s Orlan Wamar led his team with 30 points and five assists, but the Knights lacked sufficient support.

Nikko Panganiban was the only other San Juan player in double figures, contributing 10 points and four assists.

MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes presented the championship trophy to Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda and the Giant Lanterns, who duplicated their sweep of the Knights from last year.

#ReadMore  Glen Rice Jr. slapped with PHP 26K fine

The game was tightly contested throughout. Pampanga went on a ten-point run to take control at 60-57, but San Juan stayed close, ending the third quarter just behind, 60-59.

With this victory, Pampanga extended its playoff win streak to 15 games since 2023, and their home win streak is now at 13.

San Juan surged early, taking a 19-10 lead, but Pampanga rallied, closing the gap to 21-20 behind Baltazar in the first quarter.

Wamar scored 14 points in the opening period, surpassing his Game One output of 12 points.

Arvin Gamboa’s two-of-three free throws with 0.8 seconds left in the first half gave San Juan a 39-32 lead at halftime.

The packed venue saw hundreds of fans watching the game on a giant LED screen outside, as those unable to get inside still supported their teams.

Pampanga took Game One, 91-84, on November eight at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

The MPBL Playoffs continue with Game Two of the South Division Finals between the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters and the Quezon Huskers at 7 p.m. at the Batangas City Coliseum.

Batangas leads the series 1-0, needing just one more win to clinch the division crown.

Written By


You May Also Like

Basketball

Pampanga asserted its dominance over Quezon with a 79-60 victory on Tuesday night (early Wednesday morning, Manila time) in Game 2 of the Mahalika...

Basketball

Pampanga showcased its dominance with a commanding 88-71 victory over Quezon in Game One of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Sixth Season National...

Basketball

Pampanga is an early bird in the historic Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Sixth Season National Finals against Quezon in Dubai, United Arab Emirates....

Basketball

When the crown was on the line, the Quezon Huskers found their hero in L-Jay Gonzales. In a performance echoing his Game Two heroics,...

Basketball

Jason Opiso tipped in the ball with 1.9 seconds remaining, lifting Quezon to a thrilling 65-64 victory over Batangas City Tanduay on Tuesday, forcing...

MPVA

Bacoor took care of business against San Juan, 25-8, 23-25, 25-21, 25-19, clinching the No. 2 seed and the last twice-to-beat semifinal advantage in...

Basketball

Following a surprising conference where they nearly toppled the powerhouse San Miguel Beermen in the 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals, the Converge FiberXers have...

Basketball

After surviving a near-death experience, Cholo Villanueva has gained a renewed perspective on life that goes beyond basketball. Known for his achievements as a...

Advertisement