Defending champion Pampanga went through overtime to nip Nueva Ecija, 83-80, and forge a dream North Division title tussle with San Juan in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Sixth Season at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga on Wednesday.

Homegrown stars MJ Garcia and Encho Serrano canned two free throws each to negate MJ Ayaay’s two charities in the dying seconds, enabling the Giant Lanterns to cut short their best-of-three semifinal series, 2-0, before a massive crowd.

Meanwhile, San Juan repeated over Caloocan, 86-80, in another semifinal encounter to keep its drive for the MPBL crown that it won in 2019.

Powered by Orlan Wamar and Reynel Hugnatan, the Knights controlled the tempo and led by as far as 52-35 in duplicating their 71-65 conquest of the Batang Kankaloo in Game 1.

Wamar wound up with 15 points, including a perfect 8 of 8 free throws, and six assists while Hugnatan posted 13 points and six rebounds and was given the Daily Fantasy best player honors.

Serrano’s two free throws with 11.5 seconds left gave Pampanga an 83-80 lead and Nueva Ecija failed to extend the game again following a turnover by JC Cullar with 3.4 ticks left.

Nueva Ecija, the 2022 MPBL titlist, forced extra time on a triple by Ayaay, 70-70, with only 2.4 seconds to go.

The Giant Lanterns won’t be denied, however, as Archie Concepcion and reigning Most Valuable Player Justine Baltazar joined forces with Garcia and Serrano to suppress the Rice Vanguards in the five-minute extension.

Bucking an aching knee, Serrano wound up with 23 points, five rebounds and three assists to clinch the Daily Fantasy best player honors over Concepcion with 18 points, four assists, four rebounds and two blocks, Baltazar with 10 points, 25 rebounds, four assists and two blocks and Garcia with 10 points, six in overtime, plus five rebounds and three assists.