| 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 | |
| ← 20222024 → | |
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, a record that would be matched by Pampanga the following 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
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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 |
Rules for classification: 1) Wins; 2a) If two teams are tied, head-to-head match-up; 2b) If three or more teams are tied, head-to-head point quotient; 3) overall point quotient; 4) coin toss.
Notes:
- Pasig wins tiebreaker over San Juan based on head-to-head victory.
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 | |||||||
References
- Li, Matthew (May 23, 2023). "Encho Serrano leaves PBA's Phoenix, set to sign with MPBL's Pampanga". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- "MPBL: Batangas stops streaking Pampanga". Philstar.com. July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- "MPBL: Agovida rallies Makati back, deals Pampanga second loss in stunner". Tiebreaker Times. August 5, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- "Pampanga sweeps Bacoor to win MPBL title on the road". Philippine Star. December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
| 2023 MPBL season | |
|---|---|
| North Division | |
| South Division | |