The Pampanga Giant Lanterns: Another Heavy Opponent for San Juan

The San Juan Knights have just made it out of a best-of-3 quarterfinal series that made them sweat it out and yet, they are already heading towards another slugfest against another heavyweight in the North Division: the Pampanga Giant Lanterns of Mark Cruz, Reil Cervantes, and Levi Hernandez. And if the last game between these two teams was an indication, San Juan will have a lot of work to do against the Giant Lanterns.

For starters, the Knights beat the Giant Lanterns last September, 102-97. While it was a high-scoring game for both teams, neither team led more than 10 points. What was the difference-maker in that game was the fact that the Knights needed John Wilson to erupt for 44 points on 14 for 26 from the field and a whopping 9 for 17 shooting from the three-point line. And the better news was, Wilson wasn't alone in that battle against Pampanga as Mike Ayonayon added 24 points and 12 rebounds while Jhonard Clarito finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds off the bench. Larry Rodriquez added 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots. 

Those numbers helped counter the combined 77-point outing of Michael Juico, Reil Cervantes, Levi Hernandez, Dexter Maiquez, and Travis Thompson. Maiquez alone had 24 points and 13 rebounds in that game.

In their Game 2 conquest of the Bataan Risers which gave them the right to face the defending champs in the semifinals, it was the quartet of Juico, Cervantes, Hernandez, and big man Larry Muyang who combined for 60 of Pampanga's 83 points.  

Will the Giant Lanterns be a formidable foe for the defending champions? considering how loaded the Giant Lanterns are with multiple players who can come up with big numbers out of nowhere, they are a formidable opponent for the Knights. 

If the Knights have Wilson, Ayonayon, Wamar, and Rodriquez plus a CJ Isit who can make those treys, Pampanga will be relying on the likes of Maiquez, Hernandez, Cervantes, Thompson among others to try to contain the star power of the Knights. If anything, this semifinal series between the Knights and the Giant Lanterns should be an explosive one as both teams have loaded line-ups. 

Photo is from Manila Bulletin