2023 Pampanga Giant Lanterns season

2023 Pampanga Giant Lanterns season
MPBL champions
Division champions
Arena(s)	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center
Results
Record	26–2 (.929)
Place	Division: 1st (North)
Playoff finish	MPBL champions (won vs. Bacoor City, 3–0)
Pampanga Giant Lanterns seasons

The 2023 Pampanga Giant Lanterns season was the fourth season of the franchise in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and their second season in San Fernando.

With the arrivals of Justine Baltazar and Encho Serrano to the team, the team began the season with a 17-game winning streak, which was broken by Batangas City on July 13. The team suffered its only other loss against Makati on August 4, thus finishing the season with a 26–2 record, tying both San Juan and Davao Occidental from the 2019–20 season for most wins in a single regular season.

The team continued its dominant prowess all throughout the playoffs, not losing a single game on their way to their first national finals appearance against the Bacoor City Strikers. In game 3, Pampanga were falling behind heading into the fourth quarter before taking the lead with three minutes remaining. Pampanga won their first MPBL championship and their second professional title.

The team played all of their home games this season at Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center.

Roster

2023 Pampanga Giant Lanterns roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From G 2 Concepcion, Archie (HG) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Arellano G 3 Gania, CJ (HG) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) DHVSU F 4 Santos, Kevin Kyle (SGL) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) Letran F 6 Sangalang, Louie 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Letran F 7 Bahio, JB 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) San Beda G 8 Tolentino, Neil (HG) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Arellano G 9 Sampang, Karl (HG) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Holy Angel G 11 Garcia, Michael Jeffrey (HG) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) SPCF G 13 Reyson, Kurt (SGL) 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Letran F 14 Apolonio, Jayson 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) DMMMSU G 18 Serrano, Encho (EP, HG) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 176 lb (80 kg) 1999–09–18 De La Salle F 19 Baltazar, Justine (HG) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1997–02–19 De La Salle C 22 Santos, Ronan (HG) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) Arellano C 25 De Leon, Matt (HG) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) Arellano F 29 Santos, Arwind (EP, HG) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1981–06–10 Far Eastern G 30 Binuya, Raymond (C, HG) 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) San Sebastian F 34 Maynes, Mitchelle 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) F 43 Liwag, Allen (SGL) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) St. Benilde G 77 Clemente, John Loyd (HG) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) National-U

Head coach Dennis Pineda Assistant coach(es) Hupmerdink Dimatulac Legend (HG) Homegrown (FF) Filipino-foreigner (SGL) Special Guest Licensee (RS) Reserve player Injured Roster – via Genius Sports

Regular season

Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GB
1	Pampanga Giant Lanterns	28	26	2	—
2	Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards	28	23	5	3
3	Makati OKBet Kings	28	21	7	5
4	Caloocan Batang Kankaloo	28	20	8	6
5	Pasig City MCW Sports	28	19	9	7

Source: Standings
Rules for classification: 1) Wins; 2) Head-to-head record; 3) Head-to-head point differential; 4) Head-to-head points scored; 5) Overall point differential; 6) Overall points scored.
Notes:

Schedule

2023 Pampanga Giant Lanterns season schedule
Game	Date	Opponent	Score	Location	Record	Recap
1	April 13	Negros	W 79–66	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	1–0
2	April 20	Imus	W 93–72	Cuneta Astrodome	2–0
3	April 27	Valenzuela	W 79–55	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	3–0
4	May 2	Laguna	W 109–85	Imus City Sports Complex	4–0
5	May 8	General Santos	W 83–81	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	5–0
6	May 11	Bicol	W 132–87	San Andres Sports Complex	6–0
7	May 15	Caloocan	W 76–68	Strike Gymnasium	7–0
8	May 19	Marikina	W 83–75	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	8–0
9	May 24	Quezon City	W 115–79	Cuneta Astrodome	9–0
10	May 30	Bataan	W 74–72	Bataan People's Center	10–0
11	June 5	Manila	W 91–63	Muntinlupa Sports Center	11–0
12	June 9	Sarangani	W 99–92	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	12–0
13	June 15	Pasig City	W 81–66	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	13–0
14	June 20	Rizal	W 93–80	Filoil EcoOil Centre	14–0
15	June 26	Pasay	W 108–89	Filoil EcoOil Centre	15–0
16	July 1	Nueva Ecija	W 76–64	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	16–0
17	July 6	Bulacan	W 121–88	Baliwag Star Arena	17–0
18	July 13	Batangas City	L 92–95	Batangas State University	17–1
19	July 18	Iloilo	W 93–66	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	18–1
20	July 22	Bacoor City	W 78–70	Laguna Sports Complex	19–1
21	July 28	Quezon	W 83–60	Cuenta Astrodome	20–1
22	August 4	Makati	L 97–102	Muntinlupa Sports Center	20–2
23	August 10	Parañaque	W 88–82	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	21–2
24	August 16	Mindoro	W 91–70	Caloocan Sports Complex	22–2
25	August 24	Zamboanga	W 77–71	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	23–2
26	September 14	Bacolod	W 103–86	Bataan People's Center	24–2
27	September 26	Muntinlupa	W 87–73	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	25–2
28	September 30	San Juan	W 89–73	Quezon Convention Center	26–2
Source: Schedule

Playoffs

Schedule

2023 Pampanga Giant Lanterns playoff schedule
Round	Game	Date	Opponent	Score	Location	Series	Recap
Division Quarterfinals	1	October 6	Marikina	W 82–70	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	1–0	Recap
	2	October 13	Marikina	W 81–61	Caloocan Sports Complex	2–0	Recap
Division Semifinals	1	October 27	Caloocan	W 74–63	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	1–0	Recap
	2	November 3	Caloocan	W 93–77	Nueva Ecija Coliseum	2–0	Recap
Division Finals	1	November 11	San Juan	W 82–76	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	1–0	Recap
	2	November 14	San Juan	W 71–58	Filoil EcoOil Centre	2–0	Recap
National Finals	1	November 25	Bacoor City	W 71–58	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	1–0	Recap
	2	November 28	Bacoor City	W 68–65	Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center	2–0	Recap
	3	December 2	Bacoor City	W 82–77	Strike Gymnasium	3–0	Recap
Source: Schedule