THE Pampanga Giant Lanterns withstood the best the Bacoor Strikers could offer and prevailed, 82-77, on Saturday to clinch the 2023 MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season national title at the Strike Gymnasium in Bacoor, Cavite.
It was the third straight victory for the Giant Lanterns in the best-of-five title series. Pampanga won Game One, 71-58, and Game Two, 68-65, both at home.
Pampanga is fifth league champion
Pampanga thus became the league's fifth champion in as many stagings. Batangas topped the inaugural edition in 2018, followed by San Juan in 2019, Davao in 2020 and Nueva Ecija in 2022.
The Giant Lanterns, however, were the first to sweep a title series.
Encho Serrano drove through to push the Giant Lanterns to the game's biggest lead, 78-70, with only 47.5 seconds left - a lead that proved enough as the best Bacoor could do was come to within five points at the final buzzer.
Serrano poured 16 of his game-high points in the second half as Pampanga rallied from a 35-42 deficit following a triple by Bacoor's James Kwekuteye.
Archie Concepcion supported Serrano with 18 points, followed by Reyson with 13 points, including 10 in the first half that ended tied at 31.
Baltazar leads Pampanga
Newly installed MVP Justine Baltazar settled for 11 points but dominated the boards again with 19 rebounds to go with 5 assists, 3 steals and 1 block.
Other Golden Lanterns who delivered for Gov. Dennis Pineda, also Pampanga's head coach, were MJ Garcia with 9 points and Allen Liwag with 4 points and 11 rebounds.
Bacoor got 20 points from Jhan Nermal, 15 from Kwekuteye, and 11 from Jhaymo Eguilos, who added 8 rebounds.
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