Reigning champion Pampanga closed its elimination round campaign on a bright note following a 75-69 victory over Quezon Province in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Sixth Season on Saturday at the Angeles University Foundation Arena in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Powered by Archie Concepcion, Justine Baltazar and Encho Serrano, the Giant Lanterns wound up with 26 wins and two losses, assured of the second spot behind San Juan (25-1) in the North Division and overall standings of the two-division, 29-team tournament.
Even if San Juan drops its last two games, the Knights would still emerge as No. 1 heading to the playoffs because of their 86-82 victory over the Giant Lanterns in their elimination round encounter.
Although the Giant Lanterns led throughout, they could not pull away from the Huskers, who lead the South Division with a 20-6 slate. Pampanga’s biggest spread was 20-9.
Concepcion posted 30 points, five steals and three rebounds; Baltazar 11 points and 17 rebounds; and Serrano 14 points for the Giant Lanterns.
Quezon tied the count at 59 at the start of the fourth quarter following a slam by Ximone Sandagon, but that’s the most the Huskers could do as Concepcion poured in nine points and Serrano seven to ward them off.
As things stand, San Juan will tangle with the eighth and last playoff qualifier, while Pampanga will tackle the seventh-ranked team in the three-game playoffs where they will have the homecourt advantage.
Batangas City Tanduay Rum went full throttle in the fourth quarter and trounced Muntinlupa, 73-63, earlier.
The Rum Masters trailed at the break, 26-34, and were barely ahead (48-46) after the third quarter, until Dawn Ochea, Philip Paniamogan and MJ dela Virgen joined forces in the final canto to power the Rum Masters to a 19-7 card.
Paniamogan wound up with 21 points, spiked by four triples, and six assists while Ochea finished with 13 points and five rebounds.
Muntinlupa, which fell to 7-20, drew 16 points from Joshua Ramirez, 12 from Joshua Miguel Marcos and 11 from Warlo James Batac.