THE Pampanga Giant Lanterns are the national champions of the2023 MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season.

The Giant Lanterns played true to form even away from home and brought down Bacoor Strikers, 82-77, to complete a convincing three-game sweep at the Strike Gymnasium in Bacoor, Cavite.

Encho Serrano, Archie Concepcion, Kurt Reyson and Justine Baltazar provided the spark as the Giant Lanters finished off the Strikers in three games.

Pampanga also won over Bacoor, 71-58, in Game 1 and 68-65, in Game 2 — both at home in San Fernando, Pampanga.

Serrano scored 16 of his game-high 24 points in the second half ,including a driving layup to put the Giant Lanterns ahead for good, 78-70, with 47.5 seconds left.

Serrano earned Game 3 “Best Player of the Game” honors.

Concepcion added 18 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, while Reyson contributed 13 points, 10 of them in the first half.

Baltazar, the runaway MVP winner, came through with another all-around performance with 11 points. 19 rebounds, five assists, three steals and one block.

Other Golden Lanterns who stepped up for Gov. Dennis Pineda, also Pampanga’s head coach, were MJ Garcia with nine points and Allen Liwag with four points and 11 rebounds despite not playing well during the game.

Jhan Nermal carried the fight for Bacoor with 20 points, followed by James Kwekuteyewith 15 points and Jhaymo Eguilos with 11 points and eight rebounds.

MPBL Founder and CEO Manny Pacquiao awarded the championship trophy to team owner Pineda and team owners Cong. Dong Gonzales and AG Gonzales.

Pineda, who was named as “Coach of the Year”, said he told his players that if they could lead in the fourth quarter, the crown would be theirs.

The Giant Lanterns responded positively.

Pampanga thus became the league’s fifth champion in as many stagings.

The Giant Lanterns topped the elimination round with a 26-win, 2-loss card en route to a sterling overall record of 35-2 this year.

Batangas topped the inaugural edition in 2018, followed by San Juan in 2019, Davao in 2020 and Nueva Ecija in 2022.

The Giant Lanterns, however, were the first to sweep a title series.