The Parañaque Titans saved their best for last.
After bulldozing their way through the group stage and surviving the knockout rounds, the Titans completed a dominant run by sweeping the Abra River Paddlers, 3-0, in the championship match of the inaugural Maharlika Pilipinas Pickleball Tour Pampanga Leg at Pickleball Central PH in Angeles City.
Parañaque never looked back after opening the tournament with a perfect 15-0 record in Group B, carrying that unbeaten momentum all the way to the title and earning the distinction of becoming the first-ever champions of the MPPT.
The Titans were ruthless from the outset of the competition, sweeping Tacloban, Alfonso, Muntinlupa City, Pampanga, and Rizal to finish atop Group B with 45 points.
Alfonso placed second at 10-5 with 35 points, followed by Rizal at 8-7 and 31 points, and Tacloban at 5-10 and 25 points.
Abra matched Parañaque’s dominance in Group A, finishing with a 13-2 record and 41 points to claim the top seed. The River Paddlers blanked Camarines Norte, Bangued Miki, and Batangas, while also edging Bacoor and Gensan, 2-1.
Gensan finished second at 9-6, followed by Bangued Miki at 8-7 and Batangas at 7-8.
When the knockout stage began, however, both top seeds were pushed to show just how badly they wanted to be the first team to lift the MPPT trophy.
Abra found itself in a five-match battle against the Tacloban Aces in the quarterfinals. The River Paddlers took the women’s doubles, 11-5, before adding mixed doubles 2, 11-9, and eventually the deciding tiebreaker, 25-22.
Tacloban kept the pressure on by taking the men’s doubles, 11-3, and mixed doubles 1, 11-4, but Abra held its nerve when it mattered most.
The other side of the bracket produced an equally dramatic fight.
Rizal fell behind early against the Gensan Punchers after Paulo Fermin and Jun Ceasar Ian Malacaman powered Gensan to an 11-2 victory in men’s doubles.
The Illustrados responded through Clarice Patrimonio and Bambi Zoleta, who defeated Kyle Rivera and Honey Mae Gilles, 11-6, in women’s doubles.
Gensan moved back in front when Julius Quezada and Gellian Rivera edged Hans Cabellon and April Cuizon, 14-12, in mixed doubles 1.
Rizal refused to fold.
Zoleta and Joma Pague forced a deciding match by beating Gilles and Malacaman, 13-11, in mixed doubles 2 before Cabellon delivered the finishing blow in the tiebreaker, firing the winning smash through the Gensan defense to seal a 25-20 victory.
While Abra and Rizal were forced to dig deep, Parañaque and Alfonso made comparatively quick work of their quarterfinal assignments.
The Titans swept the Batangas Bangers, 3-0, winning the men’s doubles, 11-2, women’s doubles, 11-7, and mixed doubles, 11-4.
Alfonso Siklab also cruised into the semifinals with a 3-0 sweep of Bangued Miki, taking men’s doubles, 11-7, women’s doubles, 11-3, and mixed doubles 1, 11-4. That set up a pair of semifinal clashes between four teams that had already survived their first taste of knockout pressure.
Abra continued its march toward the final by sweeping Alfonso, 3-0, while Parañaque ended Rizal’s run with a 3-1 victory.
The stage was then set for the inaugural MPPT championship match. And the Titans made sure it was never really in doubt.
Team captain Leander Lazaro and Matt Daniel Navarro immediately put Parañaque in control, dismantling Allen Gerry Malangit and Ken Unique Dela Cruz, 11-1, in men’s doubles.
Abra needed a response in women’s doubles, and Patricia Raymundo and Macy Solon Ybanez appeared to have one after racing to a 6-2 advantage against Fatima Amirul and Sarah Jane Lim.
But the Titans would not be denied.
Following the side change, Amirul and Lim steadily chipped away at the deficit, eventually moving ahead, 7-6. From there, they seized control and completed the comeback, 11-6, leaving Parañaque one win away from history.
Ruben Gonzales Jr. and Jessica Agra then carried the weight of the championship on their shoulders in mixed doubles.
Johnny Arcilla and Shy Mae Gitalan refused to make it easy, taking a 9-7 lead and putting Abra within striking distance of extending the final. But once again, Parañaque had the answer.
Gonzales and Agra reeled off four consecutive points to close the match, 11-9, completing the 3-0 sweep and sending the Titans into the history books.
From a flawless 15-0 group-stage campaign to three straight knockout victories, Parañaque never lost a match throughout the inaugural Pampanga leg.
