Author: John Michael Decierdo Agustin
The current top two teams in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League have finally met – with only one coming out on top. First-seeded Pampanga Giant Lanterns took on the second-seeded San Juan Knights in an ultimate battle of the north.
But, despite the heroics of Pampanga’s Justine Baltazar in the second half, the Giant Lanterns still fell short against San Juan, 86-82, marking the end of their historic 23-game win streak.
The Knights controlled the pace of the game in the first and second periods until Baltazar started making baskets in the third. With less than four minutes left in the second period, San Juan was up by as much as 16 points, 43-27, and held on to their lead while Pampanga trailed.
Despite almost blowing their double-digit lead, San Juan kept attacking and eventually got away with the win. The San Juan Knights, after their victory on Friday, are now in the no.1 spot, overtaking the Pampanga Giant Lanterns. They have also won 14 straight games and only lost once (23-1) in the round-robin elimination round. Meanwhile, Pampanga (23-2) falls to the second spot and their historic win streak comes to an end.
Orlan Wamar Jr. Comes Out On Top Over Justine Baltazar
Orlan Wamar Jr. led San Juan past the defending champions with his superb performance. The Cebuano guard managed to put up 22 points, along with 10 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals while also dropping 5-for-7 from the three-point land, making him the undeniable player of the game. Three other Knights players, Zachary Huang (14), Dexter Maiquez (11), and Michael Malonzo (10), also contributed double-digit points.
On the other hand, the first-overall pick of the 2024 PBA draft showed up despite the loss. Balti had 19 points and 17 boards and almost made a huge comeback for Pampanga. Encho Serrano was also getting buckets after scoring 23 points by the end of regulation.
Meanwhile, Batang Kankaloo And Pasay Voyagers Had It Easy On Friday
The first game of the night saw Kankaloo trample Imus Agimat Drones, 138-94, behind their seven double-digit scorers, with Jeramer Cabanag leading the way with 16 points. Despite the 30-point performance from Richard Albo and a 23-piece from Jameson Hiro, Imus are now 1-23 and have fallen to the bottom of the 29-team rankings.
The Scores:
- San Juan Knights vs. Pampanga Giant Lanterns (86-82)
- Batang Kankaloo vs. Imus Agimat VA Drones (138-94)
- Pasay City Voyagers vs. Marikina Shoemasters (83-64)
*Photo Credit: MPBL
