Pampanga nips San Juan to seize MPBL North Division title

MANILA, Philippines – Pampanga hit full throttle as San Juan conked out late Tuesday, enabling the Giant Lanterns to clinch the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) North Division crown with an uphill 86-82 victory in Game 2 at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

The Giant Lanterns poured 25 points while the Knights managed only six in the fourth quarter where Encho Serrano outscored the entire Knights' squad with 11. Pampanga thus cut short their best-of-three title series and advanced to the National Finals against the winner of the South Division Finals between Bacoor and Batangas.

Trailing throughout the first three quarters, the Giant Lanterns greeted the final canto with a crippling 22-3 run, fueled by Serrano's eight points, John Lloyd Clemente's two triples, MJ Garcia's basket, and capped by Justine Baltazar's two free throws to seize control at 79-73 going to the last minute.

Although San Juan's Marwin Taywan drilled in a triple, the Knights could not convert after that, while the Giant Lanterns finished the job with two charities by Serrano, following a split by Garcia.

Serrano wound up with 16 points, seven assists and three rebounds to earn best player honors over Baltazar, who tallied 14 points, 19 rebounds, seven assists and two steals, and Garcia with 16 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Allen Liwag also did his share with 10 points and 14 rebounds that helped the towering Giant Lanterns to rule the boards, 61-32.

Pampanga, powered by Baltazar and JB Bahio, also bested San Juan, 86-82, in the series opener on November 12 at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.

San Juan, which led by as far as 36-17 in the second quarter, got 18 points from Marwin Taywan, who pushed San Juan to within 76-79, 16 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals from Orlan Wamar, and 14 points from Nikko Panganiban.

It was a frustrating loss for the Knights, who were ahead for a total of 34 minutes and 52 minutes against the Giant Lanterns, who were in command only for 2:19 seconds but in the homestretch.

Gov. Dennis Pineda, also the head coach of the Giant Lanterns, lauded his players for trusting each other and thanked the Pampanguenos for their all-out support.

Pineda bared that their supporters, ferried by 11 buses and numerous vans, made them feel that they were playing at their home court, and kept their fighting spirit kicking even when the Knights were pulling away,

Pineda and Giant Lanterns team owner Rep. Dong Gonzales, received the championship trophy, their first in the 29-team MPBL, from Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes and Executive Officer Joe Ramos.

Just when Pampanga stayed close at 57-61, San Juan unleashed three straight triples to pull away anew, 70-57, after three quarters only to falter in the final bend.

The Knights pulled away at 36-17 on a steal and fast break by Adrian Nocum, but the Giant Lanterns countered with a 17-point salvo through Garcia and Baltazar against a triple by Nikko Panganiban to narrow the gap, 38-41. Mike Calisaan then canned a corner jumper to raise San Juan’s lead to 43-38 at halftime.

A four-triple string, two by Panganiban, shoved the Knights to a 28-10 spread late in the first quarter.