The 2023 Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards season was the third season of the franchise in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
Coming off a historic 2022 campaign that included the league's first regular season sweep, Nueva Ecija entered this season as the defending champions. They continued to show their winning prowess by starting with an 11-game winning streak before losing to Sarangani on their 12th game on June 3. On September 21, Nueva Ecija achieved their winningest season to date with their 22nd win over San Juan. They finished the season at second place in the North Division with a 23–5 record.
In the playoffs, Nueva Ecija swept the Pasay Voyagers in the division quarterfinals. In the division semifinals, however, Nueva Ecija would be swept by the sixth-seeded San Juan Knights.
The team played all of their home games at Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan.
Preseason Nueva Ecija was one of eight teams that took part in the 2023 MPBL Preseason Invitational. For the second consecutive time, they would reach the finals against the Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines, however would once again fall short of the Invitational title.
Schedule 2023 Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards Preseason Invitational schedule Stage Game Date Opponent Score Location Record Recap Group stage 1 February 21 Imus W 88–78 Lagao Gymnasium 1–0 2 February 22 General Santos W 73–67 Lagao Gymnasium 2–0 3 February 23 Valenzuela W 94–64 Lagao Gymnasium 3–0 Playoffs SF February 25 Sarangani W 112–89 Lagao Gymnasium 4–0 F February 27 Zamboanga L 80–88 Lagao Gymnasium 4–1 Source: Schedule
Regular season Standings
Schedule 2023 Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards season schedule Game Date Opponent Score Location Record Recap 1 March 13 Laguna W 97–70 Baliwag Star Arena 1–0 2 March 18 Bacolod W 90–72 Bataan People's Center 2–0 3 March 25 Bataan W 72–69 Nueva Ecija Coliseum 3–0 4 March 31 Rizal W 87–70 Ynares Center 4–0 5 April 14 Bulacan W 76–67 Ynares Center 5–0 6 April 21 Parañaque W 91–74 Ynares Sports Arena 6–0 7 April 29 Iloilo W 80–74 Nueva Ecija Coliseum 7–0 8 May 6 Marikina W 88–86 Olivarez College 8–0 9 May 11 Manila W 107–98 San Andres Sports Complex 9–0 10 May 19 Muntinlupa W 71–67 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 10–0 11 May 27 Imus W 84–63 Imus City Sports Complex 11–0 12 June 3 Sarangani L 123–134 Quezon Convention Center 11–1 13 June 9 Quezon City W 95–53 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 12–1 14 June 19 Batangas City W 68–56 Batangas City Coliseum 13–1 15 June 23 Negros W 94–72 Baliwag Star Arena 14–1 16 July 1 Pampanga L 64–76 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 14–2 17 July 6 Valenzuela W 107–78 Baliwag Star Arena 15–2 18 July 11 Mindoro W 84–69 Strike Gymnasium 16–2 19 July 17 Bacoor City W 83–75 Nueva Ecija Coliseum 17–2 20 July 24 Caloocan W 67–60 Caloocan Sports Complex 18–2 21 July 29 Makati L 61–68 La Salle Coliseum 18–3 22 August 3 Quezon L 86–87 Quezon Convention Center 18–4 23 August 8 Pasig City W 69–65 Nueva Ecija Coliseum 19–4 24 August 16 General Santos W 97–93 Caloocan Sports Complex 20–4 25 August 24 Bicol W 129–86 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 21–4 26 September 11 Zamboanga L 65–67 Mayor Vitaliano D. Agan Coliseum 21–5 27 September 21 San Juan W 99–97 Nueva Ecija Coliseum 22–5 28 September 28 Pasay W 88–79 Nueva Ecija Coliseum 23–5 Source: Schedule
Playoffs
Schedule 2023 Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards playoff schedule Round Game Date Opponent Score Location Series Recap Division quarterfinals 1 October 9 Pasay W 85–81 Nueva Ecija Coliseum 1–0 Recap 2 October 16 Pasay W 71–62 Ynares Sports Arena 2–0 Recap Division semifinals 1 October 27 San Juan L 82–86 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center 0–1 Recap 2 November 3 San Juan L 80–88 Nueva Ecija Coliseum 0–2 Recap Source: Schedule
References