The 2024 Pampanga Giant Lanterns season was the fifth season of the Pampanga-based franchise in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and their third season in San Fernando.

The Giant Lanterns entered this season as defending champions having beaten the Bacoor City Strikers in the 2023 MPBL finals. The team kept its star players in Justine Baltazar, Encho Serrano, and Archie Concepcion. After winning the 2024 Preseason Invitational, the team shockingly lost the first game of its title defense to the Rizal Golden Coolers. The team then went on a 23-game winning streak that lasted from April 15 to August 26, giving them the longest regular season winning streak in league history. PGL finished the regular season tied for the best regular season record at 26–2, once again tying the record for most regular season wins. The team entered as the North Division's second seed, only behind the San Juan Knights who gave the Giant Lanterns their only other loss on August 30.

They continued their winning prowess in the playoffs, sweeping the expansion Abra Weavers and their region rival Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards before once again taking on San Juan in the division finals. After sweeping San Juan in two games, they faced off against the Quezon Huskers in the 2024 MPBL finals. Their dominant form throughout the season carried on, as they swept the Huskers in three games to become the league's first back-to-back champions, doing so at home.

The team played most of their home games this season at Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center, with one home game played at their previous home, AUF Sports and Cultural Center in Angeles City.

Roster

Preseason Pampanga was one of eight teams that took part in the 2024 MPBL Preseason Invitational. In their first appearance in the preseason tournament, Pampanga won every game on their way to winning the Invitational title, where they beat the South Cotabato Warriors in the final game,

Schedule 2024 Pampanga Giant Lanterns Preseason Invitational schedule Total: 5–0 Stage Game Date Opponent Score Location Record Recap Group stage 1 February 22 Quezon City W 73–68 Lagao Gymnasium 1–0 Recap 2 February 23 Valenzuela W 103–80 Lagao Gymnasium 2–0 Recap 3 February 24 GenSan Bulalakaw W 109–75 Lagao Gymnasium 3–0 Recap Playoffs SF February 25 Batangas City W 78–59 Lagao Gymnasium 4–0 Recap F February 27 South Cotabato W 93–75 Lagao Gymnasium 5–0 Recap Source: Schedule

Regular season Standings

Schedule 2024 Pampanga Giant Lanterns regular season schedule Total: 26–2 (Home: 12–0; Road: 11–2; Neutral: 3–0) Game Date Opponent Score Location Record Recap 1 April 9 Rizal L 71–78 Villar Coliseum (N) 0–1 Recap 2 April 15 Marikina W 85–86 Ynares Center (N) 1–1 Recap 3 April 22 Mindoro W 96–72 Alonte Sports Arena (N) 2–1 Recap 4 April 26 Bicolandia W 128–93 Alonte Sports Arena (N) 3–1 Recap 5 May 2 Quezon City W 63–44 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 4–1 Recap 6 May 7 Muntinlupa W 83–62 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 5–1 Recap 7 May 13 Bataan W 86–75 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 6–1 Recap 8 May 20 Pasay W 70–65 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 7–1 Recap 9 May 27 Parañaque W 77–59 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 8–1 Recap 10 June 1 Sarangani W 109–68 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 9–1 Recap 11 June 6 Negros W 104–81 Alonte Sports Arena (N) 10–1 Recap 12 June 12 Davao Occidental W 81–47 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 11–1 Recap 13 June 18 Valenzuela W 85–56 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 12–1 Recap 14 June 22 Bulacan W 124–81 Calasiao Sports Complex (N) 13–1 Recap 15 June 29 Nueva Ecija W 91–85 Nueva Ecija Coliseum (A) 14–1 Recap 16 July 4 Pangasinan W 74–50 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 15–1 Recap 17 July 9 Caloocan W 76–60 Caloocan Sports Complex (A) 16–1 Recap 18 July 16 Biñan W 91–74 Alonte Sports Arena (A) 17–1 Recap 19 July 22 Batangas City W 88–62 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 18–1 Recap 20 July 29 Zamboanga W 82–79 Filoil EcoOil Centre (N) 19–1 Recap 21 August 6 Imus W 136–75 San Andres Sports Complex (N) 20–1 Recap 22 August 12 South Cotabato W 83–75 Filoil EcoOil Centre (N) 21–1 Recap 23 August 16 Iloilo W 88–49 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 22–1 Recap 24 August 26 Manila W 92–63 Filoil EcoOil Centre (N) 23–1 Recap 25 August 30 San Juan L 82–86 Cuneta Astrodome (N) 23–2 Recap 26 September 3 Bacolod W 143–94 Olivarez College (N) 24–2 Recap 27 September 10 Abra W 88–79 FPJ Arena (N) 25–2 Recap 28 September 14 Quezon W 75–69 AUF Sports and Cultural Center (H) 26–2 Recap Source: Schedule

Playoffs

Schedule 2024 Pampanga Giant Lanterns playoff schedule Total: 9–0 (Home: 4–0; Road: 1–0; Neutral: 4–0) Round Game Date Opponent Score Location Series Recap Division quarterfinals 1 October 8 Abra W 79–64 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 1–0 Recap 2 October 16 Abra W 66–65 Nueva Ecija Coliseum (N) 2–0 Recap Division semifinals 1 October 26 Nueva Ecija W 76–73 Filoil EcoOil Centre (N) 1–0 Recap 2 October 30 Nueva Ecija W 83–80 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 2–0 Recap Division finals 1 November 8 San Juan W 91–84 Filoil EcoOil Centre (A) 1–0 Recap 2 November 11 San Juan W 81–73 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 2–0 Recap National finals 1 December 1 Quezon W 88–71 Rashid bin Hamdan Indoor Hall (N) 1–0 Recap 2 December 3 Quezon W 79–60 Rashid bin Hamdan Indoor Hall (N) 2–0 Recap 3 December 7 Quezon W 65–61 Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center (H) 3–0 Recap Source: Schedule

References