Balanced Attack Propels Knights to North Finals: The Important Numbers of Game 2

You just got to tip your hats to the Pampanga Giant Lanterns. They gave the defending champions the kind of fight that San Juan deserved to get especially in a playoff atmosphere. The Giant Lanterns even managed to hold a six-point lead but that was it. In the end, it was the championship experience of the San Juan Knights that brought them back to the North Division Finals of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). 

Pampanga managed to come within eight points late in the fourth quarter but John Wilson's free-throw shooting ended the Giant Lanterns' hopes of forcing a rubber match to determine who will move on to the North Finals as the San Juan Knights took care of business against Pampanga to come home with a 91-83 victory in Game two of their best-of-three semifinal series. While the trio of Dexter Maiquez, Levi Hernandez, and Reil Cervantes combined for 49 points in the losing effort, San Juan's firepower was still too much as the Knights were able to get the contributions from their stars. 

Big Production from Big Names

As expected, John Wilson showed why he's the league's one of the best scorers as he led the Knights with 26 big points. Even though he went two for eight from the three-point line, he made that up by going 12 for 14 from the free-throw line. He also finished with six assists, five rebounds, and five steals. Another all-around game in 29 minutes of action. MVP candidate? Most definitely.

And Wilson wasn't the only Knight who shone in the series-clincher win.

Jhonard Clarito came off the bench and had a big double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds on top of four steals and a blocked shot. Mike Ayonayon, the hero of Game One, added 13 points and four assists while CJ Isit had 13 points while going perfect in his three attempts from the three-point line.

Defense Won it for San Juan

After allowing the Giant Lanterns to score 25 points both in the first and second quarters, San Juan turned things up on the defensive end in the second half which limited Pampanga to only 33 points in the final 20 minutes. 

In the end, it paid off as Pampanga only shot 48% from the two-point area and 27% from long distance. In contrast, San Juan shot 50% from the two-point area while converting nine of their 32 attempts from deep. The Knights also had 15 steals and also forced 20 Pampanga turnovers from which the Knights scored 22 points. They also scored 13 fast-break points as a result of those turnovers by the Giant Lanterns. 

A classic game that was won by turning great defense into instant offense at the other end. That just proved why the San Juan Knights are indeed the reigning champions and yes, they are the favorites to repeat. Again.      

Photo is from the Facebook page of the MPBL