Pangasinan Shocks San Juan in Game 1 to Move a Win Away from MPBL North Finals
The Pangasinan Heatwaves continued their Cinderella run in the 2025 MPBL Playoffs, stunning the San Juan Knights with a gritty 67–57 victory in Game 1 of the North Division semifinals on the road.
Making their first-ever appearance in the North Division semifinals, the Heatwaves displayed poise and toughness throughout, led by Jorey Napoles, who shone with 16 points, five rebounds, and two assists to earn Best Player of the Game honors.
With the win, Pangasinan moved within a single victory of advancing to the MPBL North Division Finals, putting the powerhouse San Juan squad on the brink of elimination.
Heatwaves Take Control After Tight First Quarter
The opening period was tightly contested, with both teams deadlocked at 17-all after the first 10 minutes. But in the second quarter, Pangasinan found its rhythm, orchestrating an run behind Napoles and Bong Galanza to seize a 36–31 halftime lead.
From there, the Heatwaves never looked back. San Juan, struggling to find consistency on offense, failed to recover as Pangasinan maintained control throughout the second half.
The Heatwaves’ balanced attack and suffocating defense held the 2019 MPBL champions to just 57 points, one of their lowest outputs of the season.
Balanced Effort Lifts Pangasinan to Road Win
Aside from Napoles’ strong outing, Bong Galanza provided 10 points three rebounds and three assists, while Michael Mabulac contributed 8 points, 6 rebounds, an assist, and a steal.
Ian Melencio added six points, four assists, and two rebounds, and JP Maguliano tallied six points and two rebounds. Veteran Vic Manuel chipped in 5 points and 5 rebounds, helping Pangasinan secure key possessions late in the game.
The Heatwaves’ composure and teamwork were evident, as they tallied 25 assists compared to San Juan’s 19, and forced 18 turnovers, turning those into 18 points. They also dominated inside, outscoring San Juan 46–18 in the paint, and had the upper hand in rebounds (40–37) and steals (10–3).
San Juan Struggles from the Line and Beyond the Arc
For San Juan, Niko Panganiban was the lone bright spot, finishing with 15 points and four rebounds, while Arvin Gamboa added nine markers and three rebounds. Regular scorers Orlan Wamar and Dexter Maiquez were shut down, with Wamar limited to 4 points and Maiquez going scoreless.
The Knights’ downfall came at the free-throw line, where they made only 6 of 18 attempts (33.3%). Despite shooting slightly better from beyond the arc (9/27, 33%) than Pangasinan (1/14, 7%), their struggles inside the paint and at the stripe proved costly.
San Juan finished 21-of-50 (42%) from the field, while Pangasinan shot 27-of-62 (43%), including a solid 54% on two-point attempts. The Heatwaves also converted 12-of-23 free throws (52%), enough to maintain their cushion in the final minutes.
Pangasinan One Win Away from History
The Pangasinan Heatwaves, who previously eliminated the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards in a dramatic three-game quarterfinal series, will now aim to complete another upset when they face the San Juan Knights again in Game 2 on Friday, November 7.
A win would send Pangasinan to its first-ever North Division Finals — a historic milestone for the rising MPBL franchise.
The Scores:
Pangasinan 67 – Napoles 16, Galanza 10, Mabulac 8, Melencio 6, Maguliano 6, Manuel 5, Bulanadi 4, Gabo 3, Gurtiza 3, Victoria 2, Fontanilla 2, Collado 2, Pagsanjan 0, Bautista 0.
San Juan 57 – Panganiban 15, Gamboa 9, Soberano 7, Dennison 6, Ramos 6, Soyud 6, Wamar 4, Cullar 3, Villapando 1, Alforque 0, Villoria 0, Maiquez 0, Hugnatan 0.
Quarter Scores: 17-17, 36-31, 49-42, 67-57.
