The Pampanga Giant Lanterns showcased their dominance with a decisive 79-60 victory over the Quezon Huskers in Game 2 of the MPBL Sixth Season National Finals on Tuesday night at the Rashid Bin Hamdan Indoor Hall, Al Nasr Sports Club, Dubai.
North Division champion Pampanga, which also clinched Game 1 with an 88-71 win, is now one victory away from sweeping the South Division champion and securing a historic back-to-back national title.
According to a Spin.ph report, Kurt Reyson led Pampanga with 20 points, including six triples, alongside seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals, earning Best Player honors. Justine Baltazar delivered another stellar performance with 13 points, 19 rebounds, six assists, four steals, and three blocks, while Raymond Binuya added 12 points, highlighted by three triples, with four assists and two rebounds.
Game 3 is set for December 7 at the Bren Z. Guiao Sports Center in Pampanga, where the Giant Lanterns will aim to close out the best-of-five series in front of their home crowd.
When asked about the possibility of a sweep, Pampanga coach Gov. Dennis Pineda responded modestly, “Sana (hopefully),” hinting at the significance of clinching the title at home.
Pampanga’s defense stifled the Huskers, who struggled from the field, shooting just 21-of-74 overall and 7-of-38 from beyond the arc. Despite a late rally by Quezon, the Giant Lanterns sealed the win with strong finishes from Baltazar and MJ Garcia.
Judel Fuentes paced the Huskers with 12 points, eight rebounds, and three steals, followed by Al Francis Tamsi with 11 points, and Rodel Gravera with 9 points and 11 rebounds. However, their efforts fell short as Pampanga maintained control throughout the game.
The Giant Lanterns are now poised to make history and become the league’s first team to win consecutive championships.
