The rivalry between the Davao Occidental Tigers and San Juan Knights has stretched across multiple leagues in the Philippines, most prominently in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, where the two teams met in the national finals twice in back-to-back seasons (2019 and 2021). The two teams have also faced against each other in other leagues such as FilBasket and the Pilipinas Super League.
As of August 2025, the two teams have played against each other seventeen times, with the Knights leading the series 9–8.
History
Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League The rivalry began during the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's 2018–19 season, when both the Davao Occidental Tigers and San Juan Knights joined as expansion teams. Their first regular season match-up came on December 18, 2018, at Rizal Memorial Colleges in Davao City, with the host Tigers winning the game 87–75. Both teams went on to finish the season with identical 20–5 records as they would meet in that season's national finals. The series went back-and-forth as both teams alternated wins leading to a game 5 at RMC. Heading into the final minute, Davao Occidental was leading by three points, but then Jhonard Clarito scored four consecutive points to give San Juan the lead with only eight seconds left. Emman Calo then attempted a two-point field goal that unfortunately missed, giving San Juan their first MPBL championship.
In the following 2019–20 season, their regular season match-up would come January 18, 2020 at the University of Southeastern Philippines. This time around, it was San Juan who won the game 84–65. Following, a one-year suspension of league play due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two teams would meet in a rematch for the national finals. In game 4, with Davao Occidental leading 2–1, Mark Yee would make a three-pointer to give Davao Occidental the lead and eventually winning the championship, exacting their revenge against their rivals.
Other leagues
In time for FilBasket's inaugural tournament, the 2021 Subic Championship, the Tigers would sign John Wilson, who won the 2020 MPBL Most Valuable Player award with San Juan. When both teams met in the elimination round on November 8, 2021, the game went to double overtime as Davao Occidental would win the game 120–115. Heading into the playoffs, both teams once again had identical records (7–3) and would even meet in the semifinals of the tournament. San Juan would win in the knockout game, 85–84, to advance to the finals.
The Davao Occidental Tigers would join the Pilipinas Super League in 2022 for the Pearl of the Orient Cup. In the 2022–23 DUMPER Cup, multiple MPBL teams took part during the league's off-season, including the San Juan Knights, who competed as the San Juan Kings. On February 9, 2023, both teams would play in their first professional meeting at RMC, with San Juan winning the game, 76–71. San Juan would go 15–0 while Davao Occidental went 12–3, marking the first time one team had the lead over the other. Both teams wouldn't meet in the playoffs, however, as the Tigers advanced to the finals while the Kings were eliminated in the semifinals by the Pampanga G Lanterns. Their most recent meeting came on February 29, 2024, in the PSL's 2023–24 President's Cup, with Davao Occidental beating San Juan yet again, 75–73.
Annual finishes League Season Davao Occidental San Juan Series W L Playoff finish W L Playoff finish MPBL 2018–19 20 5 Lost national finals 20 5 Won national finals 3–3 2019–20 26 4 Won national finals 26 4 Lost national finals DVO 3–2 FilBasket 7 3 Lost semifinals 7 3 Lost finals 1–1 PSL 2022–23 12 3 Lost finals 15 0 Lost semifinals SJ 1–0 2023–24 16 2 Lost quarterfinals 13 5 Lost semifinals DVO 1–0 MPBL 2024 15 13 Lost division quarterfinals 26 2 Lost division finals SJ 1–0 2025 colspan="9"
Game summaries Legend Davao Occidental win San Juan win Bold indicates home team
League Type Date Winning team Score Losing team Location Recap MPBL Regular season December 18, 2018 Davao Occidental 87–75 San Juan Rizal Memorial Colleges Recap Playoffs April 11, 2019 San Juan 84–74 Davao Occidental Davao City Recreation Center Recap April 13, 2019 Davao Occidental 67–60 San Juan Rizal Memorial Colleges Recap April 16, 2019 San Juan 67–62 Davao Occidental Filoil Flying V Centre Recap April 22, 2019 Davao Occidental 77–66 San Juan Filoil Flying V Centre Recap April 25, 2019 San Juan 87–86 Davao Occidental Rizal Memorial Colleges Recap Regular season January 18, 2020 San Juan 84–65 Davao Occidental University of Southeastern Philippines Recap Playoffs March 17, 2021 Davao Occidental 77–75 San Juan Subic Bay Gymnasium Recap March 18, 2021 San Juan 70–65 Davao Occidental Subic Bay Gymnasium Recap March 20, 2021 Davao Occidental 66–58 San Juan Subic Bay Gymnasium Recap March 21, 2021 Davao Occidental 89–88 San Juan Subic Bay Gymnasium Recap FilBasket Regular season November 8, 2021 Davao Occidental 120–115 San Juan Subic Bay Gymnasium Recap Playoffs November 19, 2021 San Juan 85–84 Davao Occidental Subic Bay Gymnasium Recap PSL Regular season February 9, 2023 San Juan 76–71 Davao Occiental Rizal Memorial Colleges Recap February 29, 2024 Davao Occidental 75–73 San Juan Filoil EcoOil Centre Recap MPBL July 29, 2024 San Juan 87–65 Davao Occiental Filoil EcoOil Centre Recap August 8, 2025 San Juan 95–79 Davao Occidental Ynares Center Recap
References