A NEW champion in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) will be crowned next month as Northern Conference champions Pampanga Giant Lanterns and Southern Conference titlists Bacoor Strikers open fire in their best-of-five title showdown this weekend.

Pampanga, which defeated San Juan Knights in the semifinals, and Bacoor, which eliminated Batangas, are looking to become only the fifth national champion in this widely-followed regional competition dubbed as “Liga ng Bawat Pilipino.”

The champion will join Batangas Athletics, who ruled the inaugural championship in 2018; San Juan Knights, who topped the 2019 tournament; Davao Occidental Tigers, who dominated in 2021; and Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards, who reigned supremee in 2022.

PBA legend-turned-MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes said this will be the first time that the Lanterns, who are being handled by Gov. Dennis Pineda, and the Strikers, who are playing under coach Alex Angeles, will play in the championship

Here’s a quick look at how the two teams measure up to each other.

Pampanga

Elims: 26-2 win-loss

Quarterfinals: Pampanga defeated Marikina, 2-0 ( 82-70 and 81-61).

Semis: Pampanga defeated Caloocan, 2-0 (74-63 and 94-77).

Finals: Pampanga defeated San Juan, 2-0 (86-82 and 86-82.).

Bacoor

Elims: 23-5 win-loss

Quarterfinals: Bacoor defeated Iloilo United Royals, 2-1. (86-89, 92-52, 72-61)

Semis: Bacoor defeated Zamboanga, 2-0 (61-56 and 78-72).

Finals: Bacoor defeated. Batangas, 2-0 (89-65, and 54-49).

Top players

Pampanga — Arwind Santos, Encho Serrano, Justine Baltazar, MJ Garcia and Allen Liwag.

Bacoor — Jhaymo Eguilos, James Kwekuteye, Jhan McHale Nermal, Jammer Jamito and Mark Yee.

Individually, Baltazar and Serrano are among the league’s top 10 scorers with averages of 17.6 points and 16.4 points, respecitvely.

Baltazar, the leadong candidate for the coveted Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, also leads the way in rebounds department, posting a league-best 11.2 rebounds a game.

Baltazar also holds an average of 5.8 offensive rebounds a game.

Veteran Mark Yee is Bacoor’s leading rebounder with 5.5 caroms a game,

In blocks, Baltazar is also No. 1 with 1.5 blocks per game.

James Kwekuteye of Bacoor is among the leading players in steals with an average of 1.8 steals a game.

“It’s going to be an exciting finals (between the Lanterns and Strikers). Both teams are first-timers in the finals and both are loaded, so we can expect an all-out war,” said Duremdes during the official pre-finals presser at the Bodega Kitchen and Bar in Makati City.

“This championship is anybody’s ball game. Yung mga games natin sa eliminations at sa playoffs, bale wala na ‘yan. Ngayon, single preparation kami for our opponent.

Gagawin namin lahat, kung ano mang advantage at disadvantage namin, para mag-improve. We will prepare the best possible,” said Pampanga team consultant Allan Trinidad.

Bacoor oach Alex Angeles, on the other hand, said defense will be the Strikers’ main weapon against the Lanterns.

“What we have been preaching is our defense. Whatever happens, defense brought us to where we are now, so we will stick with it. Yun ang bumubuhay sa amin,” said Angeles.

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Happy birthday to my son, Brian Paul M. Andaya, who will celebrate with family and close friends on Saturday, November 25, at Sambokojin SM Fairview….

Birthday greetings, too, to Mark Gabriel Gardose, who will turn another year older on Nov. 28.

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Ed Andaya