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2024 MPBL Preseason Invitational
Tournament details
Country  Philippines
City General Santos
Venue(s)Lagao Gymnasium
DatesFebruary 21–27, 2024
Teams8
Final positions
Champions Pampanga Giant Lanterns
Runner-up South Cotabato Warriors
Third place Batangas City Athletics
Fourth place Quezon City Toda Aksyon
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
←  2023
2025 →

The 2024 MPBL Preseason Invitational was the preseason pocket tournament for the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's 2024 season and the third edition of the MPBL Invitational. The tournament began on February 21, 2024 and ended with the final game on February 27, 2024. [1] The Pampanga Giant Lanterns were the tournament champions after defeating the South Cotabato Warriors with a score of 93–75. [2]

Similar to the previous edition, the tournament was held at the Lagao Gymnasium in General Santos and used the same eight-team format as before. The tournament coincided with the city's Kalilangan Festival.

Teams

A total of eight teams competed in the tournament. These include seven MPBL teams, as well as returning guest team GenSan Bulalakaw. Making their first Invitational appearances were the Bataan Risers, Pampanga Giant Lanterns, and Quezon City Toda Aksyon. [3]

List of 2024 MPBL Preseason Invitational teams
Team Invitational statistics 2023 season statistics
Apps. Last Best result Record Playoff result
Bataan Risers 1 — 13–15 (.464) –
Batangas City Athletics 2 2023 Group stage (2023) 22–6 (.786) Division Finals
GenSan Bulalakaw (guest team) 2 2023 Group stage (2023) —
Manila Stars 2 2021 Group stage (2021) 4–23 (.148) –
Pampanga Giant Lanterns 1 — 26–2 (.929) Champion
Quezon City Toda Aksyon 1 — 3–25 (.107) –
South Cotabato Warriors 3 2023 Group stage (2021, 2023) 21–7 (.750) Division Semifinals
Valenzuela Classic 3 2023 Group stage (2021, 2023) 3–25 (.107) –

Name changes

Format

The tournament was divided into two stages: the group stage and the playoffs. The eight participating teams were divided into two groups of four. Both groups play in a single round-robin format, wherein each team plays one game against all other teams within the same group. The top two teams in each group advance to a two-round, single-elimination playoffs consisting of all knockout games. [3]

Every team was given prize money based on their standings: ₱1.5 million for the champion, ₱500,000 for the runner-up, ₱300,000 for the third-place team, ₱200,000 for the fourth-place team, and ₱125,000 for all non-playoff teams. [4]

Group stage

Group A

Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Qualification SOC BTG BAN MNL
1 South Cotabato Warriors 3 3 0 260 238 +22 Playoffs — 81–79 88–75 91–84
2 Batangas City Athletics 3 2 1 259 215 +44 79–81 — 86–75 94–59
3 Bataan Risers 3 1 2 256 253 +3 75–88 75–86 — 106–79
4 Manila Stars 3 0 3 222 291 −69 84–91 59–94 79–106 —
Source: Schedule – via Genius Sports
Rules for classification: 1) Wins; 2) Head-to-head record; 3) Head-to-head point differential; 4) Head-to-head points scored; 5) Overall point differential; 6) Overall points scored.
Games
MPTV
February 21
4:00 pm
Manila Stars 79–106 Bataan Risers
Scoring by quarter: 11–26, 25–19, 17–33, 26–28
Pts: Peter Rosillo 18
Rebs: Anthony Umali 13
Asts: Peter Rosillo 7		 Pts: Yves Sazon 20
Rebs: Jamil Gabawan 12
Asts: Kristoffer Torrado 8
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 21
6:00 pm
South Cotabato Warriors 81–79 Batangas City Athletics
Scoring by quarter: 20–15, 20–17, 23–26, 18–21
Pts: Kyle Tolentino 21
Rebs: Felix Apreku 10
Asts: Felix Apreku 6		 Pts: Juneric Baloria 17
Rebs: Jeckster Apinan 10
Asts: MJ dela Virgen 7
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 22
6:00 pm
Batangas City Athletics 94–59 Manila Stars
Scoring by quarter: 31–12, 23–17, 23–11, 17–19
Pts: Cedric Ablaza 17
Rebs: Oliver Arim 14
Asts: CJ Isit 7		 Pts: Shawn Umali 20
Rebs: Shawn Umali 13
Asts: Mark Yu, Peter Rosillo 3
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 22
8:00 pm
Bataan Risers 75–88 South Cotabato Warriors
Scoring by quarter: 20–16, 12–23, 20–36, 23–13
Pts: Rhaffy Octubre 13
Rebs: Alex Ramos, Carl Bringas 8
Asts: Edrian Ramirez 5		 Pts: John Wilson 28
Rebs: Christian Fajarito 14
Asts: Nico Elorde 8
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 23
6:00 pm
South Cotabato Warriors 91–84 Manila Stars
Scoring by quarter: 27–19, 13–18, 26–21, 25–26
Pts: Jammer Jamito 21
Rebs: Christian Fajarito 9
Asts: Nico Elorde 7		 Pts: Shawn Umali 29
Rebs: Shawn Umali 9
Asts: Peter Rosillo 6
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 24
6:00 pm
Batangas City Athletics 86–75 Bataan Risers
Scoring by quarter: 19–31, 24–16, 19–8, 24–20
Pts: Levi Hernandez 22
Rebs: Cedric Ablaza 9
Asts: MJ dela Virgen 7		 Pts: Mitchelle Maynes 23
Rebs: Mitchelle Maynes 10
Asts: Kristoffer Torrado 4
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos

Group B

Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Qualification PAM QC VAL GSB
1 Pampanga Giant Lanterns 3 3 0 285 223 +62 Playoffs — 73–68 103–80 109–75
2 Quezon City Toda Aksyon 3 1 [a] 2 247 233 +14 68–73 — 99–77 80–83
3 Valenzuela Classic 3 1 [a] 2 250 263 −13 80–103 77–99 — 93–61
4 GenSan Bulalakaw 3 1 [a] 2 219 282 −63 75–109 83–80 61–93 —
Source: Schedule – via Genius Sports
Rules for classification: 1) Wins; 2) Head-to-head record; 3) Head-to-head point differential; 4) Head-to-head points scored; 5) Overall point differential; 6) Overall points scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c Quezon City (+19), Valenzuela (+10), and GenSan (-29) are ranked based on head-to-head point differential.
Games
MPTV
February 21
8:00 pm
Valenzuela Classic 93–61 GenSan Bulalakaw
Scoring by quarter: 29–21, 23–9, 19–16, 22–15
Pts: Nhazer Mohammad 15
Rebs: Bryan Boliver 15
Asts: Darell Manliguez 4		 Pts: Manny Pacquiao 19
Rebs: Victor Nguidjol 10
Asts: Victor Nguidjol, David Sisson 3
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 22
4:00 pm
Quezon City Toda Aksyon 68–73 Pampanga Giant Lanterns
Scoring by quarter: 13–14, 17–16, 18–21, 20–22
Pts: Jonas Tibayan 13
Rebs: Jason Ballesteros 8
Asts: Rafael Are 4		 Pts: Jhaymo Eguilos 13
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 21
Asts: Encho Serrano 8
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 23
4:00 pm
Pampanga Giant Lanterns 103–80 Valenzuela Classic
Scoring by quarter: 25–25, 30–20, 24–11, 24–24
Pts: Jeff Viernes 22
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 11
Asts: MJ Garcia 5		 Pts: Dennis Santos 18
Rebs: Bryan Boliver 8
Asts: Darrell Manliguez 5
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 23
8:00 pm
Quezon City Toda Aksyon 80–83 GenSan Bulalakaw
Scoring by quarter: 11–23, 24–9, 17–26, 28–25
Pts: Rhinwill Yambing 18
Rebs: Kenji Roman 11
Asts: Camillus Altamirano 9		 Pts: Victor Nguidjol 31
Rebs: Don Diamante 13
Asts: David Sisson 5
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 24
4:00 pm
Valenzuela Classic 77–99 Quezon City Toda Aksyon
Scoring by quarter: 25–30, 7–20, 21–22, 24–27
Pts: Ryan Trazona 18
Rebs: Dennis Santos 8
Asts: Darrell Manliguez 6		 Pts: Rhinwill Yambing 24
Rebs: Kenji Roman 10
Asts: Kenji Roman 6
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 24
8:00 pm
Pampanga Giant Lanterns 109–75 GenSan Bulalakaw
Scoring by quarter: 23–21, 23–24, 31–14, 32–16
Pts: Rence Alcoriza 16
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 15
Asts: Kurt Reyson 8		 Pts: Victor Nguidjol 27
Rebs: Victor Nguidjol 8
Asts: Manny Pacquiao 5
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos

Playoffs

Bracket

Semifinals Finals
      
A1 South Cotabato 84
B2 Quezon City 79
A1 South Cotabato 75
B1 Pampanga 93
B1 Pampanga 78
A2 Batangas City 59 Battle for Third
B2 Quezon City 60
A2 Batangas City 68

Semifinals

MPTV
February 25
6:00 pm
Pampanga Giant Lanterns 78–59 Batangas City Athletics
Scoring by quarter: 15–11, 18–15, 16–22, 29–11
Pts: Justine Baltazar 17
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 17
Asts: Encho Serrano 4		 Pts: Cedric Ablaza 14
Rebs: Jeckster Apinan 11
Asts: CJ Isit 4
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 25
8:00 pm
South Cotabato Warriors 84–79 Quezon City Toda Aksyon
Scoring by quarter: 13–22, 22–13, 20–14, 29–30
Pts: John Wilson 23
Rebs: Christian Fajarito 9
Asts: Nico Elorde 8		 Pts: Rafael Are 20
Rebs: Jason Ballesteros 10
Asts: Camillus Altamirano 6
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos

Battle for Third

MPTV
February 27
6:00 pm
Batangas City Athletics 68–60 Quezon City Toda Aksyon
Scoring by quarter: 20–12, 10–19, 20–24, 18–15
Pts: RJ Ramirez 11
Rebs: Jeckster Apinan 13
Asts: MJ dela Virgen 5		 Pts: Rhinwill Yambing 15
Rebs: Jason Ballesteros 9
Asts: Rafael Are 3
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos

Finals

MPTV
February 27
8:00 pm
Pampanga Giant Lanterns 93–75 South Cotabato Warriors
Scoring by quarter: 20–13, 27–20, 32–15, 14–27
Pts: Encho Serrano 29
Rebs: Justine Baltazar 17
Asts: Kurt Reyson 8		 Pts: John Wilson 26
Rebs: Christian Fajarito 8
Asts: Mark Cruz 5
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos

The Pampanga Giant Lanterns became the first Luzon-based team to win an MPBL Invitational championship, as the previous two ( Basilan and Zamboanga) were all based in Mindanao.

Unlike previous Invitational tournaments, no Most Valuable Player award was given out at the conclusion of the tournament. Pampanga's Encho Serrano was declared the Player of the Game in the Finals.

Media

This is the second MPBL Invitational under Cignal TV's ongoing broadcast partnership with the league. The games are broadcast on Media Pilipinas TV (MPTV) on television and are streamed live via Pilipinas Live. The league continues to stream all of the games online on Facebook and YouTube.

References

  1. ^ "MPBL welcomes unlimited pros, expands with two new franchises". Tiebreaker Times. February 6, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  2. ^ "Baltazar, Serrano lead Pampanga to MPBL Preseason crown". Tiebreaker Times. February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Pampanga Giant Lanterns headline preseason cast". Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024 – via Facebook.
  4. ^ "MPBL preseason starts in GenSan". Philstar.com. February 20, 2024. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
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