2023 MPBL finals
This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2023) |
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Dates | November 25 – December 2, 2023 | |||||||||
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MVP | Justine Baltazar | |||||||||
Northern finals | Pampanga def. San Juan, 2–0 | |||||||||
Southern finals | Bacoor City def. Batangas City, 2–0 | |||||||||
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 faces the South Division champion Bacoor City Strikers, with both teams having not won an MPBL title before, this series will determine which team will become the league's fifth different champions.[1] The series began on November 25, 2023 and ended as December 2, 2023. The Pampanga Giant Lanterns (26–2) holds homecourt advantage in the series for having a better regular season record than the Bacoor City Strikers (23–5). This marks the first Finals appearance for both teams. Justine Baltazar was named as the Finals MVP.
This is the first time since the league's national expansion in the 2018–19 season in which the Finals features two Luzon-based teams. This is also the second consecutive Finals in which neither team is based in Metro Manila.
For sponsorship reasons, this series is officially known as the 2023 Nexus88 MPBL Finals presented by Xtreme.
Background
Pampanga Giant Lanterns
After back-to-back Division Semifinals appearances in 2020 and 2022, the Pampanga Giant Lanterns loaded its roster throughout the course of the 2023 season. Justine Baltazar and Encho Serrano are among the notable additions to the Giant Lanterns, both of them would go on to become all-star selections in the 2023 All-Star Game. Led by their head coach in Pampanga governor Dennis Pineda, the homegrown-laden Giant Lanterns finished the regular season with a league-best 26–2, only losing to Batangas and Makati. The team's 26 wins is also tied with the 2020 San Juan Knights and Davao Occidental Tigers for most wins in a single season.
In the playoffs, Pampanga swept through Marikina and Caloocan in the first two rounds before stumbling upon the Wamar-led San Juan Knights in Pampanga's first Division Finals appearance.[2] Although Pampanga took the series advantage with a win in game 1, game 2 proved to be a challenge as San Juan led by 13 points heading into the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, Pampanga scored 25 points while San Juan was held down to just six points as the Giant Lanterns appear in their first-ever MPBL Finals.[3] Pampanga became the second Central Luzon-based team to make the Finals after Nueva Ecija last season.
Bacoor City Strikers
Ever since joining as Cavite's second team, Bacoor City has seen success in the semi-professional era with 2019 MVP Gab Banal. The Strikers reached the Division Semifinals in back-to-back seasons in 2019 and 2020. After finishing with a losing record in 2022 following Banal's move to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), a rebuild followed ahead of the 2023 season which saw the arrivals of Jhan Nermal, James Kwekuteye, and the return of Michael Cañete. Also joining the Strikers is former MPBL Finals MVP and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Mark Yee. Nermal, Kwekuteye, and Cañete were all selected for the All-Star Game. Coached by Alex Angeles, Bacoor City finished the season as the South Division's top seed with a 23–5 record.
Following an unexpected loss to Iloilo in game 1 of the First Round, the Strikers fought through, defeating Iloilo in three and then defeating reigning South Division champion Zamboanga in the Division Semifinals. In the Division Finals, Bacoor City met with their Calabarzon neighbors in the second-seeded Batangas City Embassy Chill, who were only one game behind the Strikers in the regular season.[4] Whilst game 1 was a blowout win for Bacoor City, Batangas City had the early lead in game 2. In the fourth quarter, the Strikers scored 14–5 over the Embassy Chill to take the lead and eventually sweep the series.[1] Bacoor City became the second Calabarzon-based representative in the Finals after Batangas City.
Road to the Finals
Head-to-head matchup
July 22
06:00 pm |
Pampanga Giant Lanterns | 78–70 | Bacoor City Strikers |
Scoring by quarter: 24–12, 20–26, 15–16, 19–16 | ||
Pts: Encho Serrano 18 Rebs: Justine Baltazar 18 Asts: John Bryle Bahio 5 |
Pts: Jhan Nermal 19 Rebs: Jhan Nermal 9 Asts: Aaron Jeruta 4 |
Laguna Sports Complex,
Santa Cruz, Laguna |
Series summary
Game | Date | Away team | Result | Home team | Venue |
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1 | November 25 | Bacoor City Strikers | 58–71 (0–1) |
Pampanga Giant Lanterns | Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center |
2 | November 28 | Bacoor City Strikers | 65–68 (0–2) |
Pampanga Giant Lanterns | Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center |
3 | December 2 | Pampanga Giant Lanterns | 82–77 (3–0) |
Bacoor City Strikers | Strike Gymnasium |
(*) if necessary |
Game summaries
Game 1
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 |
Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center, San Fernando, Pampanga
Referees: J. Sarife, J. Castroverde, R. Brila, |
After his stint with the Letran Knights during NCAA Season 99, Kurt Reyson made his return to the Pampanga Giant Lanterns roster. Coming off the bench, Reyson became the Player of the Game as he scored 22 points on 75% shooting, including a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. Justine Baltazar led the rebound and assist statistics with 16 and 6 respectively to go alongside his 13 points. Encho Serrano only scored five points after shooting 2-for-11.
In the losing effort, both Jhaymo Eguilos and Jhan Nermal scored 16 points for the Bacoor City Strikers. James Kwekuteye only scored two points, only making one of his twelve shot attempts.[5]
Game 2
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 |
In a game that went back-and-forth during the second half, former Homegrown Player of the Year Archie Concepcion scored 13 points and 8 rebounds to become the Player of the Game. The newly-crowned MVP in Baltazar recorded another double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds on top of six assists. Serrano, despite a 25% field goal percentage, still scored eight points for Pampanga.
After a dismal performance in game 1, Kwekuteye scored 16 points on 5-for-11 three-point shooting. Both Chito Jaime and Yvan Ludovice also scored double-digits for Bacoor City with 12 and 11, respectively.
Following a steal by Kwekuteye, Bacoor City held the final possession of the game with the Strikers down by just three points. Kwekuteye missed a three-point attempt but was rebounded by Jhan Nermal. The ball ended up in the hands of Mark Yee, but unfortunately, Yee cannot get the ball off before the shot clock expired, giving the Pampanga Giant Lanterns the win and putting them one game away from their first MPBL title as the series shifts to the Marching Band Capital.[6]
Game 3
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
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Rosters
- NOTE: Only players who played at least one playoff game for the team during the season is included.
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Broadcast notes
This will mark the second time Cignal TV broadcasts the MPBL Finals. The game will be broadcast on One PH as well as on Media Pilipinas TV (MPTV) on television. The games will also be streamed on Pilipinas Live, Bola.TV, and on the MPBL's Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Game | Media Pilipinas TV and One PH | ||
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Play-by-play | Analyst | Courtside reporters | |
1 | Migs Gomez | Jayvee Gayoso | Andrea Endicio and Mica Abesamis |
2 | Cedelf Tupas | Javi Palana | Sydney Crespo and Mica Abesamis |
3 | Cedelf Tupas | Louie Gonzalez | Andrea Endicio, Sydney Crespo and Mica Abesamis |
Notes
References
- ^ a b "Bacoor Strikers finish off Batangas, earn shot at Pampanga in MPBL Finals". Spin.ph. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ Ulanday, John Bryan. "Pampanga, San Juan in North final". Philstar.com. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
- ^ "Pampanga nips San Juan to seize MPBL North Division title". Philstar.com. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
- ^ "MPBL: Batangas ousts GenSan, sets up rematch with Bacoor in South finals". Spin.ph. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
- ^ "Reyson returns with a bang as Pampanga draws first blood vs Bacoor". Philstar.com. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ^ "Justine Baltazar runaway MVP, Pampanga closes in on MPBL title". RAPPLER. November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.