Pampanga on verge of MPBL national crown

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Pampanga Giant Lanterns asserted their superiority over the Quezon Huskers with a 79-60 victory on Tuesday night (early Wednesday Manila time) in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 6th Season National Finals at the Al Nasr Sports Club's Rashid Bin Hamdan Indoor Hall here.

North Division champion Pampanga, which also dominated Game 1, 88-71, moved within a win of sweeping South Division champion Quezon and becoming the league's first back-to-back national titlist.

Kurt Reyson presided over the Giant Lanterns offense with 20 points, spiked by six triples, to go with seven assists, five rebounds and two steals to clinch the Daily Fantasy Best Player honors. 

Justine Baltazar had another MVP-like performance with 13 points, 19 rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocks, followed by Raymond Binuya with 12 points, including three triples, four assists and two rebounds.

The Giant Lanterns go for the clincher in Game 3 on December 7 at the Bren Z. Guiao Sports Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.

Asked whether the Giant Lanterns would end the best-of-five series in Game 3, Pampanga coach Gov. Dennis Pineda meekly replied "Sana (hopefully)," previously noting that a sweep at home would be most welcome.

Other Giant Lanterns who shone were Jhaymo Eguilos with 10 points and nine rebounds; Archie Concepcion with eight points, four rebounds, two assists and one block; and Brandon Ramirez with six points plus seven rebounds.

Back-to-back triples by Reyson and Rence Alcoriza gave Pampanga its biggest spread, 63-40, with 1:58 left in the third quarter.

A couple of charities by Binuya restored that gap, 65-42, early in the fourth quarter before the Huskers clustered 11 points on an inside thrust by Ximone Sandagon, four freethrows by Al Francis Tamsi, and a drive and a triple by Judel Fuentes to push Quezon within 53-65, still 6:10 left.

Pampanga, however, kept its poise and capped the game with a one-handed jam by Baltazar and a layup by MJ Garcia.

The Huskers again misfired, sinking just 21-of-74 field goal attempts, underscored by 7-of-38 shooting from 3-point territory.

Quezon Coach Eric Gonzales got 12 points, eight rebounds and three steals from Judel Fuentes; 11 points, two rebounds and two steals from Tamsi; and nine points, 11 rebounds plus two assists from Rodel Gravera. 

MPBL Founder and CEO Manny Pacquiao, elated by the warm response of the Filipino community in the United Arab Emirates, hinted of the league returning next year.

Also present during Game 2 graced by Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Alfonso Ver were MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes and Executive Officer Joe Ramos.