MANILA – Jeff Viernes caught fire from the three-point area as Pampanga Giant Lanterns dominated Bacolod City of Smiles, 143-94, in the 2024 MPBL season on Tuesday at the Olivarez College Gymnasium in Paranaque City.
Viernes finished with a season-high of 24 points, including six three-pointers, to go with four rebounds and three assists as the Giant Lanterns improved to a 24-2 win-loss slate.
According to Viernes, the Giant Lanterns’ 86-82 loss to the San Juan Knights-Go for Gold served as a motivation for them to have a big bounce back against the struggling Bacolod City.
“‘Yung naging talo namin against San Juan, ginawa naming motivation para makabawi in this game, na kailangan talagang maghanda pa kami especially na at pa-playoffs na kami,” Viernes said.
“Kailangan pa naming i-correct ‘yung mistakes namin, especially on the defensive side, kailangan lang naming mag-stick sa system and be positive pa din,” added the former PBA guard.
Justine Baltazar had a triple-double of 14 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, Archie Concepcion and Renz Alcoriza added 19 and 11 markers, respectively, while MJ Garcia, Brandon Ramirez, Ronan Santos, and Kurt Reyson ended with 10 each for Pampanga.
Down 25-32 after the opening quarter, the Giant Lanterns turned things around in the second quarter behind inside connections from Concepcion and Baltazar for a 63-51 halftime lead.
Pampanga pulled away further in the third period courtesy of three-pointers by Viernes for a 106-71 lead, which later grew to its biggest at 141-88 on an outside conversion by Garcia.
“Nung halftime talagang ni-remind kami ng coaches na malamya ‘yung start namin, so at least nakapag-regroup kami and maganda ‘yung naging third quarter namin hanggang sa natapos ‘yung laro,” Viernes said.
Louie Vigil finished with 31 points to lead Bacolod City, John Derico Lopez added 13 markers, while Jose Antiporda and Alfred Sedillo ended with 11 each as they dropped to a 1-24 record./PN
BOX SCORE:
PAMPANGA 143 – Viernes 22, Concepcion 19, J. Baltazar 14, Alcoriza 11, Ramirez 10, Garcia 10, Reyson 10, Santos 10, De Liano 9, Serrano 8, Eguilos 6, Flores 6, De Leon 5, Binuya 3, W. Baltazar 0.
BACOLOD 94 – Vigil 31, Lopez 13, Antiporda 11, Sedillo 11, Pardo 8, Ludovice 6, Ramos 6, Marilao 5, McCarthy 3.
Quarterscores: 25-32, 63-51, 106-71, 143-94.
