PAMPANGA banked on a fourth-quarter scoring spurt to subdue Nueva Ecija, 91-85, on Saturday and extend its hot streak in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the jampacked Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City.

Trailing, 75-76, the Giant Lanterns, sparked by Archie Concepcion’s triple, unloaded 13 points against only four by the Rice Vanguards to seize control, 88-80, with 2 minutes and 3 seconds left on the way to their 14th straight win after an initial loss in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

Nueva Ecija threatened at 84-88 following 2 charities by Emman Calo and a layup by Robby Celiz, but Pampanga’s Allen Liwag drove in with 26.4 seconds to go to end the Rice Vanguards perfect 12-game run and allow Quezon Province (13-0) to keep the solo lead.

Concepcion wound up with 20 points, spiked by 4 triples, 3 rebounds and 3 steals to earn best player honors over reigning league MVP Justine Baltazar who posted 16 points, 17 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks.

Other Giant Lanterns who shone were Kurt Reyson with 17 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists plus 2 steals, Encho Serrano with 15 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds, and Rence Alcoriza with 10 points and 7 rebounds.

Led by the 6-foot-8 Baltazar and the 6-6 Liwag, who snagged 8 rebounds, defending champion Pampanga ruled the boards, 55-37.

Nueva Ecija, the 2022 MPBL titlist, got 23 points and 7 rebounds from Will McAloney, 11 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals from JC Cullar, 10 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists from Celiz, and 10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals from John Byron Villarias.

The Giant Lanterns bunched 12 points bridging the first and second quarters to pull away, 33-16, but the Rice Vanguards clawed their way back through McAloney, Cullar, Celiz to seize the halftime lead, 46-41, following a triple from Calo.

In other games, Pasay bested Bataan, 82-78, and Valenzuela thwarted Bacolod, 88-81.

Powered by Patrick Sleat, Laurenz Victoria and Warren Bonifacio, the Pasay Voyagers returned to orbit after a 3-game skid and climbed to 8-7.

Sleat tallied 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, followed by Victoria with 16 points, 3 assists and 2 steals, and Bonifacio with 10 points, 13 rebounds and 3 assists.

The Risers, on the other hand, suffered their third straight defeat and plummeted to 4-11 despite the 23-point, 8-rebound effort of Rhaffy Octobre and the 17-point, 4-rebound output of Yves Sazon.

Valenzuela drew 29 points, 23 in the first half, 7 rebounds and 2 assists from Dennis Santos to improve to 8-8.

The 6-foot-5 Santos, backed from an injury, was supported by new acquisition Mark Montuano with 18 points plus 8 rebounds and veteran Paolo Hubalde with 7 points, 12 assists, 8 rebounds and 3 steals.

Bacolod, which fielded only 8 players, tumbled to 1-15 despite the 35-point, 10-rebound, 6-assist effort of Louie Vigil, the 12-point, 10-rebound, 4-assist output of Danny Marilao, and the 11-point, 3-rebound, 3-assist, 2-steal contribution of Tricky Dyn Peromingan.

The MPBL goes to the San Andres Sports Complex with games pitting Bulacan against Iloilo at 4 p.m., Abra against Batangas at 6 p.m., and South Cotabato against Manila at 8 p.m.