2023 MPBL playoffs

Last updated

2023 MPBL playoffs
2023 Nexus88 MPBL Playoffs presented by Xtreme
Tournament details
Country Philippines
DatesOctober 6 – December 2, 2023
Teams16
Defending champions Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards
Final positions
Champions Pampanga Giant Lanterns
Runner-up Bacoor City Strikers
Semifinalists
Tournament statistics
Matches played36
←  2022
2024  →

The 2023 MPBL playoffs was the postseason tournament of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's 2023 season, the league's fifth overall, and the fourth under the 16-team format. The postseason tournament began on October 6, three days after the end of the regular season, and ended on December 2, 2023. [1]

Contents

For sponsorship reasons, this playoff series is known as the 2023 Nexus88 MPBL Playoffs presented by Xtreme.

Overview

Updates to playoff appearances

Notable events

First round

  • Iloilo became the first 8-seed to lead a playoff series against a 1-seed.
  • Game 2 of the Makati–San Juan series was the first playoff game in league history to go into double overtime.
  • General Santos's series win against Muntinlupa marked the first time a Soccsksargen-based team has won a playoff series.

Division finals

  • San Juan became the lowest-seeded team to make the division finals. This was previously held by Manila in 2019 (4th in North).
    • San Juan is also the lowest-seeded team to make the penultimate round since Parañaque made the semifinals in 2018 (7th overall).
  • Following Nueva Ecija's elimination to San Juan and Zamboanga's elimination to Bacoor City, this marks the first time neither of last season's finalists make the division finals.
  • Both teams in the South Division finals are based in the Calabarzon region for the first time. It also the first time that the South Division finals won't feature a Mindanao-based team.
  • Pampanga's 2–0 series victory over San Juan marked the first series sweep in the division finals.
  • Bacoor City beating Batangas City in two games marked the first time in league history in which both semifinals and division finals series concluded in two games.

MPBL finals

  • For the first time since 2018, the MPBL finals featured two Luzon-based teams.
    • It was also the second consecutive season in which the finals featured a Central Luzon-based team, but not a Metro Manila-based team.
  • Pampanga became the first team in league history to sweep a finals series.
    • Pampanga is also the first team to sweep every playoff series in a single season.

Format

The top eight teams from each division advance to the playoffs. Seeding is based on wins, with tiebreaker rules applied should multiple teams have the same record. The single-elimination bracket consists of four rounds with no reseeding. The first three rounds being best-of-three series and the national finals being a best-of-five series.

During the first two rounds, two games within the same division are played in a gameday, with homecourt advantage alternating between the higher-seeded teams of each series. A traditional homecourt format is then used for the last two rounds, with the division finals using a 1–1–1 format and the national finals using a 2–2–1 format. The designated home team may not be able to play within its home locality. Should it occur, the gameday may take place elsewhere.

Division standings

Bracket

Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its division, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. Teams with homecourt advantage, the higher-seeded team, are shown in italics.

First round
(best-of-3)		Division semifinals
(best-of-3)		Division finals
(best-of-3)		 National finals
(best-of-5)
            
N1 Pampanga 2
N8 Marikina 0
N1 Pampanga 2
N4 Caloocan 0
N4 Caloocan 2
N5 Pasig City 1
N1 Pampanga 2
North Division
N6 San Juan 0
N2 Nueva Ecija 2
N7 Pasay 0
N2 Nueva Ecija 0
N6 San Juan 2
N3 Makati 0
N6 San Juan 2
N1 Pampanga 3
S1 Bacoor City 0
S1 Bacoor City 2
S8 Iloilo 1
S1 Bacoor City 2
S4 Zamboanga 0
S4 Zamboanga 2
S5 Quezon 1
S1 Bacoor City 2
South Division
S2 Batangas City 0
S2 Batangas City 2
S7 Imus 0
S2 Batangas City 2
S3 General Santos 1
S3 General Santos 2
S6 Muntinlupa 1
This box:

First round

North Division

(1) Pampanga Giant Lanterns vs. (8) Marikina Shoemasters

October 6
08:00 pm
Marikina Shoemasters 70–82 Pampanga Giant Lanterns
Scoring by quarter: 21–21, 11–19, 20–14, 18–28
Pts: Joe Gomez de Liaño 22
Rebs: Jason Strait, Aldzahar Udjan 9
Asts: Felipe Chavez 6		Pts: Archie Concepcion 26
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 21
Asts: Justine Baltazar 7
Pampanga leads series, 1–0

This game featured the MPBL debut of 9-time PBA champion and Pampanga homegrown Arwind Santos. Santos only scored four points, including the buzzer-beating three-pointer at the end of the game. [1]

October 13
06:00 pm
Pampanga Giant Lanterns 81–61 Marikina Shoemasters
Scoring by quarter:28–15, 18–17, 13–14, 22–15
Pts: Justine Baltazar 22
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 11
Asts: Archie Concepcion 7		Pts: Mark Atabay 16
Rebs: Mark Atabay 13
Asts: Deo Timajo 5
Pampanga wins series, 2–0

This is the first playoff meeting between Pampanga and Marikina.

(2) Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards vs. (7) Pasay Voyagers

October 9
08:00 pm
Pasay Voyagers 81–85 Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards
Scoring by quarter: 17–21, 23–19, 22–21, 19–24
Pts: Dhon Reverente 20
Rebs: Dhon Reverente 13
Asts: Elvin Chan, Laurenz Victoria 4		Pts: Chris Bitoon 18
Rebs: Michael Mabulac 15
Asts: John Raymundo, Chris Bitoon 4
Nueva Ecija leads series, 1–0
Nueva Ecija Coliseum, Palayan, Nueva Ecija
October 16
06:00 pm
Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards 71–62 Pasay Voyagers
Scoring by quarter:15–12, 23–13, 15–15, 18–22
Pts: Chris Bitoon 16
Rebs: JR Taganas 8
Asts: Philip Manalang 5		Pts: Brian Hilario 26
Rebs: Dhon Reverente 12
Asts: Laurenz Victoria 6
Nueva Ecija wins series, 2–0

This is the first playoff meeting between Nueva Ecija and Pasay.

(3) Makati OKBet Kings vs. (6) San Juan Knights

This series marked the third meeting of coaches Don Dulay (Makati) and Randy Alcantara (San Juan). Both coaches met in back-to-back national finals and split one championship each, with Alcantara winning in 2019 for San Juan, and Dulay winning in 2021 for Davao Occidental.

October 9
06:00 pm
Makati OKBet Kings 84–95 San Juan Knights
Scoring by quarter: 15–22, 16–21, 30–34, 23–18
Pts: Keith Agovida 19
Rebs: Keith Agovida 8
Asts: JC Cullar 6		Pts: Orlan Wamar 23
Rebs: Kevin Villafranca 7
Asts: Adrian Nocum 6
San Juan leads series, 1–0
Nueva Ecija Coliseum, Palayan, Nueva Ecija
October 16
08:00 pm
San Juan Knights 95–92 (2OT) Makati OKBet Kings
Scoring by quarter:27–18, 13–19, 18–28, 17–10,  Overtime:20–17
Pts: Adrian Nocum 22
Rebs: Zach Huang 12
Asts: Orlan Wamar 7		Pts: Robby Celiz, Emman Calo 24
Rebs: Billy Ray Robles 12
Asts: Emman Calo 7
San Juan wins series, 2–0

The game was the first in MPBL playoffs history to feature more than one overtime period, with both Makati and San Juan causing multiple lead changes and deadlocks throughout the entire game.

During the second overtime period, San Juan went on a 7–1 scoring run culminating in a three-point field goal by Wamar as the Knights led by 5 heading into the final minute. Calo cut the lead to three with two free throws, and then Cullar attempted a three-pointer to potentially cause triple overtime, but the ball went in and out of the rim. San Juan kept the ball in possession for the remaining seconds as the Knights advance to their fourth consecutive division semifinals appearance. [3]

This is the second playoff meeting between Makati and San Juan, with San Juan winning the previous meeting.

(4) Caloocan Batang Kankaloo vs. (5) Pasig City MCW Sports

October 6
06:00pm
Caloocan Batang Kankaloo 71–69 Pasig City MCW Sports
Scoring by quarter:20–17, 7–17, 23–14, 21–21
Pts: Reil Cervantes 16
Rebs: Gabby Espinas 12
Asts: Joco Tayongtong 5		Pts: Robbie Manalang 17
Rebs: Pierce Chan 9
Asts: Ryan Costelo 5
Caloocan leads series, 1–0

With the game tied at 69–69, Gabby Espinas hit the mid-range jumper on Jason Ballesteros to give Caloocan the lead with 0.7 seconds left on the clock. Following two timeouts from Pasig City, Kenny Rocacurva gave the inbound pass to Ryan Costelo, who failed to score a potential game-tying field goal. [4]

October 13
08:00 pm
Pasig City MCW Sports 65–61 Caloocan Batang Kankaloo
Scoring by quarter:16–11, 11–18, 19–16, 19–16
Pts: Robbie Manalang 23
Rebs: Jason Ballesteros 10
Asts: Ryan Costelo 3		Pts: Paul Sanga 12
Rebs: Rey Cervantes, Gabby Espinas 7
Asts: Alejandro Iñigo 4
Series tied, 1–1
October 20
08:00 pm
Caloocan Batang Kankaloo 68–60 Pasig City MCW Sports
Scoring by quarter:17–16, 10–17, 20–14, 21–13
Pts: Gabby Espinas 15
Rebs: Gabby Espinas, Paul Sanga 7
Asts: Irven Palencia 5		Pts: Robbie Manalang, Rey Peralta 10
Rebs: Jason Ballesteros 17
Asts:three players 3
Caloocan wins series, 2–1

This is the first playoff meeting between Caloocan and Pasig.

South Division

(1) Bacoor City Strikers vs. (8) Iloilo United Royals

October 7
08:00pm
Iloilo United Royals 89–86 Bacoor City Strikers
Scoring by quarter: 19–31, 18–26, 32–9, 20–20
Pts: Lorenzo Navarro 16
Rebs: Omar Larupay, Joshua Flores 10
Asts: Lorenzo Navarro 14		Pts: Jhan Nermal, James Kwekuteye 23
Rebs: Mark Yee 14
Asts: Yvan Ludovice 4
Iloilo leads series, 1–0
Strike Gymnasium, Bacoor, Cavite

At the end of the first half, Bacoor City had a 20-point lead on Iloilo. In the third quarter, Iloilo took the lead as the United Royals scored 32 points over Bacoor City's 9. With the game tied at 86–86, and with just under three seconds on the game clock, CJ Catapusan scored a three-point field goal to give Iloilo the lead with .17 seconds remaining. Bacoor City had no timeouts left as Chito Jaime attempted a half-court shot that hit the right side of the backboard, giving Iloilo the upset victory. [5]

October 14
06:00 pm
Bacoor City Strikers 92–52 Iloilo United Royals
Scoring by quarter:20–11, 25–16, 22–10, 25–15
Pts: Chito Jaime 16
Rebs: Jhaymo Eguilos 10
Asts: Aaron Jeruta 9		Pts: CJ Catapusan 11
Rebs: CJ Catapusan, Omar Larupay 6
Asts: Lorenzo Navarro 7
Series tied, 1–1
Mayor Vitaliano D. Agan Coliseum, Zamboanga City
October 21
8:00 pm
Iloilo United Royals 61–72 Bacoor City Strikers
Scoring by quarter: 12–22, 17–19, 15–17, 17–14
Pts: Joshua Flores 15
Rebs: CJ Catapusan 9
Asts: Lorenzo Navarro 8		Pts: James Kwekuteye 15
Rebs: Jhaymo Eguilos, Jhan Nermal 12
Asts: Aaron Jeruta 6
Bacoor City wins series, 2–1
Strike Gymnasium, Bacoor, Cavite

This is the first playoff meeting between Bacoor City and Iloilo.

(2) Batangas City Embassy Chill vs. (7) Imus SV Squad

October 10
08:00 pm
Imus SV Squad 71–78 Batangas City Embassy Chill
Scoring by quarter: 8–21, 20–23, 15–16, 28–18
Pts: Carlo Lastimosa 18
Rebs: Marc Pingris 10
Asts:six players 2		Pts: Juneric Baloria 17
Rebs: John Ambulodto 10
Asts: Jeckster Apinan 5
Batangas City leads series, 1–0
Batangas City Coliseum, Batangas City

Marc Pingris made his return to Imus after only playing for the team in five games during the regular season.

October 17
06:00 pm
Batangas City Embassy Chill 61–59 Imus SV Squad
Scoring by quarter: 13–14, 15–18, 15–11, 18–16
Pts: Cedrick Ablaza 13
Rebs: Juneric Baloria 9
Asts: Juneric Baloria, Cedrick Ablaza 6		Pts: Carlo Lastimosa 11
Rebs: Marc Pingris 10
Asts: Jayjay Helterbrand 6
Batangas City wins series, 2–0
Strike Gymnasium, Bacoor, Cavite

This is the second playoff meeting between Batangas City and Imus, with Batangas City winning the previous meeting.

(3) GenSan Warriors vs. (6) Muntinlupa Cagers

October 10
06:00 pm
GenSan Warriors 79–70 Muntinlupa Cagers
Scoring by quarter:21–13, 24–13, 18–19, 16–25
Pts: Jervy Cruz 16
Rebs: John Wilson 12
Asts: John Wilson 7		Pts: Dave Moralde 12
Rebs: Dave Moralde, Ian Melencio 10
Asts: Dave Moralde, Ian Melencio 4
General Santos leads series, 1–0
Batangas City Coliseum, Batangas City
October 17
08:00 pm
Muntinlupa Cagers 99–91 GenSan Warriors
Scoring by quarter:27–21, 31–20, 28–22, 13–28
Pts: Dave Moralde 18
Rebs: Ian Melencio 14
Asts: Ian Melencio 8		Pts: Mark Cruz 19
Rebs: Felix Apreku, Larry Rodriguez 6
Asts: Nico Elorde 6
Series tied, 1–1
Strike Gymnasium, Bacoor, Cavite
TBA
October 24
07:00 pm
GenSan Warriors 85–78 Muntinlupa Cagers
Scoring by quarter:26–19, 18–15, 22–19, 19–25
Pts: John Wilson 22
Rebs: Hafer Mondragon 8
Asts:three players 5		Pts: John Amores 17
Rebs: JP Sarao 14
Asts: Ian Melencio 7
General Santos wins series, 2–1
Paco Arena, Manila

This is the first playoff meeting between General Santos and Muntinlupa.

(4) Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines vs. (5) Quezon Huskers

October 7
06:00 pm
Quezon Huskers 68–77 Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines
Scoring by quarter:18–17, 15–22, 18–20, 17–18
Pts: Christopher Lagrama 16
Rebs: RJ Minerva 13
Asts: Thomas Torres 4		Pts: Jaycee Marcelino 20
Rebs: Jaycee Marcelino 10
Asts: Jaycee Marcelino 7
Zamboanga leads series, 1–0
Strike Gymnasium, Bacoor, Cavite
October 14
08:00 pm
Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines 58–65 Quezon Huskers
Scoring by quarter: 18–25, 15–5, 10–12, 15–23
Pts: Jaycee Marcelino 19
Rebs: Jaycee Marcelino 8
Asts: Jaycee Marcelino 3		Pts: Alex Tamsi 13
Rebs: Rodel Guevarra 9
Asts: Christopher Lagrama 5
Series tied, 1–1
Mayor Vitaliano D. Agan Coliseum, Zamboanga City
October 21
06:00 pm
Quezon Huskers 76–88 Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines
Scoring by quarter: 16–21, 21–28, 22–25, 17–14
Pts: Mon Abundo, Rodel Gravera 14
Rebs: Rodel Gravera 11
Asts: Mon Abundo 7		Pts: Judel Fuentes 19
Rebs: Joseph Gabayni 7
Asts: Jaycee Marcelino 13
Zamboanga wins series, 2–1
Strike Gymnasium, Bacoor, Cavite

This is the first playoff meeting between Zamboanga and Quezon.

Division semifinals

North Division

(1) Pampanga Giant Lanterns vs. (4) Caloocan Batang Kankaloo

October 27
08:00 pm
Caloocan Batang Kankaloo 63–74 Pampanga Giant Lanterns
Scoring by quarter: 11–24, 15–19, 15–22, 22–9
Pts: Paul Sanga 17
Rebs: Ronnie Matias 6
Asts: Irven Palencia, Alejandro Iñigo 6		Pts: Justine Baltazar 17
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 14
Asts: MJ Garcia, John Lloyd Clemente 4
Pampanga wins series, 1–0
November 3
06:00 pm
Pampanga Giant Lanterns 93–77 Caloocan Batang Kankaloo
Scoring by quarter: 18–20, 24–18, 24–26, 27–13
Pts: Encho Serrano 22
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 20
Asts: Justine Baltazar 7		Pts: Reil Cervantes 16
Rebs: Ronnie Matias 10
Asts: Reil Cervantes, Irven Palencia 6
Pampanga wins series, 2–0
Nueva Ecija Coliseum, Palayan, Nueva Ecija

This is the first playoff meeting between Pampanga and Caloocan.

(2) Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards vs. (6) San Juan Knights

October 27
06:00 pm
Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards 82–86 San Juan Knights
Scoring by quarter:20–18, 28–18, 11–21, 23–29
Pts: Byron Villarias, Chris Bitoon 14
Rebs: Will McAloney, Michael Mabulac 8
Asts: Michael Juico 7		Pts: Orlan Wamar 19
Rebs: Michael Calisaan, Nikko Panganiban 9
Asts: Orlan Wamar 7
San Juan leads series, 1–0
November 3
08:00 pm
San Juan Knights 88–80 Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards
Scoring by quarter:26–25, 21–17, 23–21, 18–17
Pts: Michael Calisaan 30
Rebs: Michael Calisaan 18
Asts: Orlan Wamar, Nikko Panganiban 6		Pts: Will McAloney 21
Rebs: Michael Mabulac 9
Asts:three players 4
San Juan wins series, 2–0
Nueva Ecija Coliseum, Palayan, Nueva Ecija

This is the second playoff meeting between Nueva Ecija and San Juan, with Nueva Ecija winning the previous meeting.

South Division

(1) Bacoor City Strikers vs. (4) Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines

October 28
08:00 pm
Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines 56–61 Bacoor City Strikers
Scoring by quarter:17–16, 10–12, 10–18, 19–15
Pts: Jaycee Marcelino 18
Rebs: King Caralipio 10
Asts: Jaycee Marcelino 4		Pts: Jhan Nermal 20
Rebs: Jhaymo Eguilos 10
Asts: Aaron Jeruta 8
Bacoor City leads series, 1–0
Strike Gymnasium, Bacoor, Cavite
November 4
06:00 pm
Bacoor City Strikers 78–72 Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines
Scoring by quarter:17–16, 19–12, 19–15, 23–29
Pts: Jhan Nermal 25
Rebs: Mark Yee 8
Asts: Aaron Jeruta 8		Pts: Jayvee Marcelino 16
Rebs: Jayvee Marcelino 11
Asts: Jaycee Marcelino 6
Bacoor City wins series, 2–0
Batangas City Coliseum, Batangas City

This is the first playoff meeting between Bacoor City and Zamboanga.

(2) Batangas City Embassy Chill vs. (3) GenSan Warriors

October 28
06:00 pm
Batangas City Embassy Chill 81–75 GenSan Warriors
Scoring by quarter: 17–19, 22–15, 20–18, 22–23
Pts: Levi Hernandez 21
Rebs: Jeckster Apinan 9
Asts: Cedric Ablaza 6		Pts: Mark Cruz 18
Rebs: Mark Cruz 6
Asts: Nico Elorde 4
Batangas City leads series, 1–0
Strike Gymnasium,
Bacoor, Cavite
November 4
08:00 pm
GenSan Warriors 61–55 Batangas City Embassy Chill
Scoring by quarter:16–8, 16–12, 14–24, 15–11
Pts: Lorenzo Joson 14
Rebs: John Wilson 10
Asts:three players 3		Pts: Levi Hernandez 13
Rebs: Jeckster Apinan 11
Asts: Jeckster Apinan, MJ dela Virgen 4
Series tied, 1–1
Batangas City Coliseum, Batangas City
November 7
08:00 pm
Batangas City Embassy Chill 66–62 GenSan Warriors
Scoring by quarter:21–11, 10–17, 18–18, 17–16
Pts: Levi Hernandez 14
Rebs: Dawn Ochea 10
Asts: MJ dela Virgen 5		Pts: Michole Sorela 15
Rebs:five players 4
Asts: Mark Cruz 6
Batangas City wins series, 2–1
Batangas City Coliseum, Batangas City

Despite Batangas City leading by 11 points early on, the game came down to the wire as General Santos caught up throughout the rest of the game. With under half a minute remaining, General Santos was trailing by two. Cruz first missed a layup but got back the ball and gave it to Sorela. Sorela attempted a corner three-pointer but was deflected by Importante and later became a shot clock violation against General Santos. After two made free throws from Ablaza, Joson missed his three pointer resulting in Batangas City winning the game and the series, thus making back-to-back division finals appearances.

This is the first playoff meeting between Batangas City and General Santos.

Division finals

North Division finals

(1) Pampanga Giant Lanterns vs. (6) San Juan Knights

November 11
07:00 pm
Pampanga Giant Lanterns 86–82 San Juan Knights
Scoring by quarter:24–20, 19–17, 18–21, 25–24
Pts: Justine Baltazar 23
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 20
Asts: Encho Serrano 6		Pts: Marwin Taywan 20
Rebs: Michael Calisaan 12
Asts: Orlan Wamar 7
Pampanga leads series, 1–0
November 14
08:30 pm
San Juan Knights 76–82 Pampanga Giant Lanterns
Scoring by quarter:29–12, 14–26, 27–19, 6–25
Pts: Marwin Taywan 18
Rebs: Adrian Nocum 10
Asts: Adrian Nocum 4		Pts: Encho Serrano, MJ Garcia 16
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 19
Asts: Justine Baltazar, Encho Serrano 7
Pampanga wins series, 2–0

This was San Juan's first playoff home game of the entire season, due to the Knights being the 6th-seeded team. During the first three quarters, San Juan have shown dominance for the majority of the game, leading by as much as 19 points and entering the fourth quarter with a 13-point lead.

Pampanga, however, didn't stand back, as they would start the quarter with a 16–1 scoring run to take the lead with just over three minutes left, with eight of those points coming from Encho Serrano. Although Taywan scored a layup to tie the game, Pampanga then went on a 9–3 scoring run to finish the game. Encho Serrano won Player of the Game honors as the Giant Lanterns remain undefeated in the playoffs and went on to advance to their very first MPBL finals appearance.

This is the second playoff meeting between Pampanga and San Juan, with San Juan winning the previous meeting.

South Division finals

(1) Bacoor City Strikers vs. (2) Batangas City Embassy Chill

November 13
07:00 pm
Bacoor City Strikers 89–68 Batangas City Embassy Chill
Scoring by quarter:27–18, 24–11, 17–11, 21–25
Pts: James Kwekuteye 25
Rebs: Mark Yee 10
Asts: Aaron Jeruta 5		Pts: Jeckster Apinan 15
Rebs: Jeckster Apinan 13
Asts: MJ dela Virgen 7
Bacoor City leads series, 1–0
Strike Gymnasium, Bacoor, Cavite
November 17
07:00 pm
Batangas City Embassy Chill 49–54 Bacoor City Strikers
Scoring by quarter:14–8, 7–15, 23–17, 5–14
Pts: Jeckster Apinan 11
Rebs: Cedric Ablaza 10
Asts: CJ Isit 6		Pts: Jhaymo Eguilos 9
Rebs: Mark Yee, James Kwekuteye 9
Asts: Yvan Ludovice, Aaron Jeruta 3
Bacoor City wins series, 2–0
Batangas City Coliseum, Batangas City

This is the second playoff meeting between Bacoor City and Batangas City, with Batangas City winning the previous meeting.

MPBL finals: (N1) Pampanga Giant Lanterns vs. (S1) Bacoor City Strikers

November 25
07:00 pm
Pampanga Giant Lanterns 71–58 Bacoor City Strikers
Scoring by quarter:21–7, 17–21, 15–9, 18–21
Pts: Kurt Reyson 21
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 16
Asts: Justine Baltazar 6		Pts: Jhaymo Eguilos, Jhan Nermal 16
Rebs: Mark Yee 8
Asts:three players 2
Pampanga leads series, 1–0
November 28
07:00 pm
Pampanga Giant Lanterns 68–65 Bacoor City Strikers
Scoring by quarter:14–12, 19–17, 17–20, 18–16
Pts: Justine Baltazar, Archie Concepcion 13
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 12
Asts: Justine Baltazar 6		Pts: James Kwekuteye 16
Rebs: Jhaymo Eguilos 9
Asts: Aaron Jeruta 4
Pampanga leads series, 2–0
December 2
07:00 pm
Bacoor City Strikers 77–82 Pampanga Giant Lanterns
Scoring by quarter: 20–20, 11–11, 22–17, 24–34
Pts: Jhan Nermal 20
Rebs: Mark Yee 10
Asts: Yvan Ludovice, Michael Cañete 4		Pts: Encho Serrano 24
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 19
Asts:three players 5
Pampanga wins series, 3–0
Strike Gymnasium, Bacoor, Cavite

This is the first playoff meeting between Pampanga and Bacoor City.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pampanga Giant Lanterns</span> Professional basketball team in Pampanga, Philippines

The Pampanga Giant Lanterns, also known as Pampanga Giant Lanterns – AMG3 Construction for sponsorship reasons, are a Filipino professional basketball team based in the province of Pampanga. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's North Division. They are one of five teams based in the Central Luzon region and play their home games at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando.

The Makati OKBet Kings were a Filipino professional basketball team based in Makati. The team last competed in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and played their home games at Makati Coliseum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bacoor City Strikers</span> Professional basketball team in Bacoor, Cavite, Philippines

The Bacoor City Strikers were a Filipino professional basketball team, based in Bacoor, Cavite. The team last competed in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and played their home games at Strike Gymnasium.

The 2018–19 MPBL season, also known as the MPBL Datu Cup, was the second season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. The regular season began on June 12, 2018 and ended on March 11, 2019. The playoffs then began on March 12, 2019 and ended on April 25, 2019 when the San Juan Knights defeated the Davao Occidental Tigers in five games in the 2019 MPBL finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davao Occidental Tigers</span> Basketball team in the Philippines

Davao Occidental Tigers, also known as Davao Occidental Tigers – Cocolife due to sponsorship reasons, are a Filipino professional basketball team based in the province of Davao Occidental. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League as a member of the league's South Division. They are the lone team based in the Davao Region.

The 2019 MPBL playoffs, also known as the MPBL Datu Cup playoffs, was the postseason tournament of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's 2018–19 season, the league's second overall, and the first under the 16-team playoff format. The postseason tournament began on March 12, day after the end of regular season on March 11, 2019, and ended at the conclusion of the 2019 MPBL finals. The 2019 MPBL finals saw the Davao Occidental Tigers battled San Juan Knights for the national championship, with the Knights winning in five games, 3 games to 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019–20 MPBL season</span> 3rd season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

The 2019–20 MPBL season, also known as the MPBL Lakan Season or the Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season for sponsorship reasons, was the third season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. It was also the last season of the league's semi-professional era, as they would turn professional in December 2021. The regular season began June 12, 2019 and ended on February 12, 2020. The playoffs then began on February 15, 2020, and ended on March 21, 2021 when the Davao Occidental Tigers defeated the defending champion San Juan Knights in four games in the 2021 MPBL finals.

The 2020–21 MPBL playoffs, originally billed as the 2020 MPBL playoffs and also known as the MPBL Lakan Cup playoffs, was the postseason tournament of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's 2019–20 season, the league's third overall, and the second under the 16-team format. The postseason tournament began on February 15, 2020 and concluded on March 21, 2021, after the fourth game of the 2021 MPBL finals. The league suspended all the playoffs due to the COVID-19 outbreak in March 12, 2020. After a year of stoppage of play, the league got an approval from the IATF-EID and resumed the playoffs on March 10, 2021, inside a bubble hosted by Subic.

The 2022 MPBL season was the fourth season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and the first as a professional league. The regular season began on April 25, 2022 and ended on October 13, 2022. The playoffs then began on October 15, 2022 and ended on December 12, 2022, when the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards defeated the Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines in four games in the 2022 MPBL finals. This season featured 22 teams, the first time the number of teams decreased from the previous season, as nine teams departed from the league.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bacolod City of Smiles</span> Basketball team in Bacolod, Philippines

The Bacolod City of Smiles, alternatively known as the Bacolod Maskaras, is a Filipino professional basketball team based in Bacolod. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division. They are one of two teams based in the Negros Island Region, the other being the Negros Muscovados. Both teams play their home games at La Salle Coliseum.

The 2022 MPBL playoffs was the postseason tournament of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's 2022 season, the league's fourth overall, and the third under the 16-team format. The postseason tournament began on October 15, 2022, two days after the end of the regular season on October 13, 2022, and concluded on December 12, 2022, following the conclusion of the 2022 MPBL finals.

The 2022 MPBL finals was the championship series of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's (MPBL) 2022 season and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. In the best-of-five playoff, the North Division champion Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards defeated the South Division champion Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines, as they won the league's fourth championship. Byron Villarias named as the season's Finals MVP.

The 2023 MPBL season was the fifth season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and the second as a professional league. The regular season began on March 11, 2023 and was originally scheduled to end on September 30, 2023, but got postponed to October 3, 2023. The playoffs began on October 6, 2023 and ended on December 2, 2023, when the Pampanga Giant Lanterns defeated the Bacoor City Strikers in three games in the 2023 MPBL finals. This season featured 29 teams, which included two expansion teams: the Negros Muscovados and the Quezon Huskers.

The 2023 MPBL All-Star Game was an exhibition game played on September 16, 2023, during the 2023 season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). It was the fourth edition of the event, which took place at the Bataan People's Center in Balanga, Bataan, the home arena of the Bataan Risers.

The 2023 MPBL finals was the championship series of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's (MPBL) 2023 season and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. In the best-of-five playoff, the North Division champion Pampanga Giant Lanterns faced the South Division champion Bacoor City Strikers, with both teams having not won an MPBL title nor appeared in the MPBL finals before, this series would determine which team becomes the league's fifth different champions. The series began on November 25, 2023 and ended on December 2, 2023.

The Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards and San Juan Knights first met in 2019 in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, but the rivalry began getting fierce as both teams became contenders. Following their title clash in the 2022 FilBasket Summer Championship, both teams have fought for North Division contention in the MPBL, playing each other in back-to-back playoff series.

The 2024 Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters season will be the sixth season of the franchise in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).

References

  1. 1 2 "Pampanga beats Marikina in Arwind Santos MPBL debut". Spin.ph. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Pampanga, Makati trounce MPBL rivals". The Manila Times. September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  3. ↑ "San Juan outlast Makati in 2 OTs, takes on Nueva Ecija in MPBL semis". Philippine Star. October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  4. ↑ Masoy, Niel Victor C. (October 8, 2023). "Espinas shines as Caloocan downs Pasig". The Manila Times. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Iloilo shocks Bacoor; Zamboanga thwarts Quezon in MPBL playoffs". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
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