The 2023 Pampanga Giant Lanterns season was the fourth season of the franchise in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and their second season in San Fernando.

With the arrivals of Justine Baltazar and Encho Serrano to the team, the team began the season with a 17-game winning streak, which was broken by Batangas City on July 13. The team suffered its only other loss against Makati on August 4, thus finishing the season with a 26–2 record, tying both San Juan and Davao Occidental from the 2019–20 season for most wins in a single regular season, a record that would be matched by Pampanga the following season.

The team continued its dominant prowess all throughout the playoffs, not losing a single game on their way to their first national finals appearance against the Bacoor City Strikers. In game 3, Pampanga were falling behind heading into the fourth quarter before taking the lead with three minutes remaining. Pampanga won their first MPBL championship and their second professional title.

The team played all of their home games this season at Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center.

Roster

Regular season Standings

Schedule 2023 Pampanga Giant Lanterns season schedule Game Date Opponent Score Location Record Recap 1 April 13 Negros W 79–66 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 1–0 2 April 20 Imus W 93–72 Cuneta Astrodome 2–0 3 April 27 Valenzuela W 79–55 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 3–0 4 May 2 Laguna W 109–85 Imus City Sports Complex 4–0 5 May 8 General Santos W 83–81 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 5–0 6 May 11 Bicol W 132–87 San Andres Sports Complex 6–0 7 May 15 Caloocan W 76–68 Strike Gymnasium 7–0 8 May 19 Marikina W 83–75 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 8–0 9 May 24 Quezon City W 115–79 Cuneta Astrodome 9–0 10 May 30 Bataan W 74–72 Bataan People's Center 10–0 11 June 5 Manila W 91–63 Muntinlupa Sports Center 11–0 12 June 9 Sarangani W 99–92 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 12–0 13 June 15 Pasig City W 81–66 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 13–0 14 June 20 Rizal W 93–80 Filoil EcoOil Centre 14–0 15 June 26 Pasay W 108–89 Filoil EcoOil Centre 15–0 16 July 1 Nueva Ecija W 76–64 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 16–0 17 July 6 Bulacan W 121–88 Baliwag Star Arena 17–0 18 July 13 Batangas City L 92–95 Batangas State University 17–1 19 July 18 Iloilo W 93–66 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 18–1 20 July 22 Bacoor City W 78–70 Laguna Sports Complex 19–1 21 July 28 Quezon W 83–60 Cuenta Astrodome 20–1 22 August 4 Makati L 97–102 Muntinlupa Sports Center 20–2 23 August 10 Parañaque W 88–82 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 21–2 24 August 16 Mindoro W 91–70 Caloocan Sports Complex 22–2 25 August 24 Zamboanga W 77–71 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 23–2 26 September 14 Bacolod W 103–86 Bataan People's Center 24–2 27 September 26 Muntinlupa W 87–73 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 25–2 28 September 30 San Juan W 89–73 Quezon Convention Center 26–2 Source: Schedule

Playoffs

Schedule 2023 Pampanga Giant Lanterns playoff schedule Round Game Date Opponent Score Location Series Recap Division Quarterfinals 1 October 6 Marikina W 82–70 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 1–0 Recap 2 October 13 Marikina W 81–61 Caloocan Sports Complex 2–0 Recap Division Semifinals 1 October 27 Caloocan W 74–63 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 1–0 Recap 2 November 3 Caloocan W 93–77 Nueva Ecija Coliseum 2–0 Recap Division Finals 1 November 11 San Juan W 82–76 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 1–0 Recap 2 November 14 San Juan W 71–58 Filoil EcoOil Centre 2–0 Recap National Finals 1 November 25 Bacoor City W 71–58 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 1–0 Recap 2 November 28 Bacoor City W 68–65 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 2–0 Recap 3 December 2 Bacoor City W 82–77 Strike Gymnasium 3–0 Recap Source: Schedule

References