By ADRIAN STEWART CO
The Pampanga Giant Lanterns relied on a huge fourth quarter rampage to capture the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) crown with an 82-77 triumph over the Bacoor City Strikers in Game 3 of the finals at the Strike Gym in Bacoor, Cavite.
Down 48-55 at the start of the final quarter, the Giant Lanterns got consecutive baskets from Archie Concepcion, Encho Serrano and MJ Garcia as they took the lead at 63-62 with five minutes left.
The Strikers reclaimed the lead at 65-63 after a triple by James Kwekuteye, but the Giant Lanterns responded with two free throws from Concepcion, an inside hit from Justine Baltazar and a triple by Concepcion for a 70-66 lead.
Bacoor City made their last push on a triple by Negrense Jhan Nermal to cut the deficit to 69-70, but Pampanga went for the kill with back-to-back inside hits from Baltazar and two layups from Serrano for a 78-70 lead with less than a minute left.
“Sinabi ko lang sa players na we just have to keep it close until the fourth quarter and sa atin na ‘yung laro,” Pampanga head coach Delta Pineda said.
“Ang good thing, sumunod ang mga players at nauwi na namin ang championship sa Pampanga,” he added.
Serrano top-scored with 24 points to go with four assists and two rebounds, while Concepcion added 18 markers, with 12 coming in the fourth quarter, for the Giant Lanterns.
Kurt Reyson chipped in 13 markers, six rebounds and five assists, while tournament MVP Baltazar ended with a double-double of 11 points and 19 rebounds as Pampanga finished the best-of-five championship series at 3-0.
“Nagtiwala lang kami sa isa’t isa kahit nung time na down kami, pinakita namin ‘yung composure namin hanggang dulo. Hindi kami bumitaw. Gusto talaga naming manalo para sa mga Kabalen,” Concepcion said.
“Tulad ng sabi ni coach Governor Delta, ‘yung lantern kapag kulang ng isa ay hindi maganda tignan. Kaya nagkaisa lang kami ng mga players na dumating sa Pampanga this season,” he added.
Nermal top-scored for the Strikers with 20 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Kwekuteye and Jhaymo Eguilos chipped in 15 and 11 markers, respectively.
PAMPANGA 82 — Serrano 24, Concepcion 18, Reyson 13, Baltazar 11, Garcia 9, Liwag 4, Clemente 2, A. Santos 1, Sangalang 0, Bahio 0, Apolonio 0, R. Santos 0.
BACOOR 77 — Nermal 20, Kwekuteye 15, Eguilos 11, Lee Yu 7, Jamito 6, Ludovice 5, Yee 5, Canete 4, Villoria 2, Jeruta 2, Pasturan 0, Jaime 0.
Quarterscores: 20-20, 31-31, 48-53, 82-77./ASC, WDJ