The Pampanga Giant Lanterns clinched the 2024 MPBL championship with a narrow 65-61 Game 3 victory over the Quezon Huskers on Saturday night at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in Pampanga.
Justine Baltazar, Encho Serrano, and Archie Concepcion stepped up offensively in the final two minutes, helping the Giant Lanterns secure a 64-58 lead with less than a minute remaining.
The Huskers made their last push at 61-64 on a three-pointer from Judel Fuentes, but a split free throw by Concepcion with five seconds left sealed the championship for the Giant Lanterns.
Baltazar, the MPBL’s back-to-back MVP awardee, finished with a double-double of 19 points and 20 rebounds in his final game with the Giant Lanterns.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa teammates ko dahil hindi rin naman namin ito makukuha kung hindi kami nagtulong tulong,” said Baltazar, who will soon play for the Converge FiberXers in the PBA.
The Delta Pineda-mentored Giant Lanterns became the first team to win back-to-back MPBL championships.
The post Pampanga finishes off Quezon, clinches back-to-back MPBL crown first appeared on Fastbreak.
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