# 2024 MPBL Preseason Invitational

The 2024 MPBL Preseason Invitational was the preseason pocket tournament for the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League's 2024 season and the third edition of the MPBL Preseason Invitational. The tournament began on February 21, 2024 and ended with the final game on February 27, 2024. The Pampanga Giant Lanterns were the tournament champions after defeating the South Cotabato Warriors with a score of 93–75.
Similar to the previous edition, the tournament was held at the Lagao Gymnasium in General Santos and used the same eight-team format as before. The tournament coincided with the city's Kalilangan Festival.
This is currently the most recent edition of the MPBL's preseason tournament, as the 2025 edition was cancelled in January of that year.

## Teams

A total of eight teams competed in the tournament. These include seven MPBL teams, as well as returning guest team GenSan Bulalakaw. Making their first Invitational appearances were the Bataan Risers, Pampanga Giant Lanterns, and Quezon City Toda Aksyon.
List of 2024 MPBL Preseason Invitational teams :
| Team | Invitational statistics | Invitational statistics | Invitational statistics | 2023 season statistics | 2023 season statistics |
| Team | Apps. | Last | Best result | Record | Playoff result |
| Bataan Risers | 1 | — | — | 13–15 (.464) | – |
| Batangas City Athletics | 2 | 2023 | Group stage (2023) | 22–6 (.786) | Division Finals |
| GenSan Bulalakaw (guest team) | 2 | 2023 | Group stage (2023) | — | — |
| Manila Stars | 2 | 2021 | Group stage (2021) | 4–23 (.148) | – |
| Pampanga Giant Lanterns | 1 | — | — | 26–2 (.929) | Champion |
| Quezon City Toda Aksyon | 1 | — | — | 3–25 (.107) | – |
| South Cotabato Warriors | 3 | 2023 | Group stage (2021, 2023) | 21–7 (.750) | Division Semifinals |
| Valenzuela Classic | 3 | 2023 | Group stage (2021, 2023) | 3–25 (.107) | – |

### Notes

* ↑ Competed as Batangas City Embassy Chill during the 2023 season. The name was later changed to Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters for the 2024 season.
* ↑ The name was later changed to Manila Batang Sampaloc for the 2024 season.
* ↑ Competed as GenSan Warriors during the 2023 season. The new name would remain for the 2024 season.
* ↑ Competed as Valenzuela XUR Homes Realty Inc. during the 2023 season. The new name would remain for the 2024 season.

## Format

The tournament was divided into two stages: the group stage and the playoffs. The eight participating teams were divided into two groups of four. Both groups play in a single round-robin format, wherein each team plays one game against all other teams within the same group. The top two teams in each group advance to a two-round, single-elimination playoffs consisting of all knockout games.
Every team was given prize money based on their standings: ₱1.5 million for the champion, ₱500,000 for the runner-up, ₱300,000 for the third-place team, ₱200,000 for the fourth-place team, and ₱125,000 for all non-playoff teams.

## Group stage
### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Qualification | SOC | BTG | BAN | MNL |
| 1 | South Cotabato Warriors | 3 | 3 | 0 | 260 | 238 | +22 | Playoffs | — | 81–79 | 88–75 | 91–84 |
| 2 | Batangas City Athletics | 3 | 2 | 1 | 259 | 215 | +44 | Playoffs | 79–81 | — | 86–75 | 94–59 |
| 3 | Bataan Risers | 3 | 1 | 2 | 256 | 253 | +3 | | 75–88 | 75–86 | — | 106–79 |
| 4 | Manila Stars | 3 | 0 | 3 | 222 | 291 | −69 | | 84–91 | 59–94 | 79–106 | — |
Games :
MPTV
February 21 4:00 pm
Boxscore
Manila Stars
79–106
Bataan Risers
Scoring by quarter: 11–26, 25–19, 17–33, 26–28
Pts: Peter Rosillo 18 Rebs: Anthony Umali 13 Asts: Peter Rosillo 7
Pts: Yves Sazon 20 Rebs: Jamil Gabawan 12 Asts: Kristoffer Torrado 8
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 21 6:00 pm
Boxscore
South Cotabato Warriors
81–79
Batangas City Athletics
Scoring by quarter: 20–15, 20–17, 23–26, 18–21
Pts: Kyle Tolentino 21 Rebs: Felix Apreku 10 Asts: Felix Apreku 6
Pts: Juneric Baloria 17 Rebs: Jeckster Apinan 10 Asts: MJ dela Virgen 7
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 22 6:00 pm
Boxscore
Batangas City Athletics
94–59
Manila Stars
Scoring by quarter: 31–12, 23–17, 23–11, 17–19
Pts: Cedric Ablaza 17 Rebs: Oliver Arim 14 Asts: CJ Isit 7
Pts: Shawn Umali 20 Rebs: Shawn Umali 13 Asts: Mark Yu, Peter Rosillo 3
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 22 8:00 pm
Boxscore
Bataan Risers
75–88
South Cotabato Warriors
Scoring by quarter: 20–16, 12–23, 20–36, 23–13
Pts: Rhaffy Octubre 13 Rebs: Alex Ramos, Carl Bringas 8 Asts: Edrian Ramirez 5
Pts: John Wilson 28 Rebs: Christian Fajarito 14 Asts: Nico Elorde 8
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 23 6:00 pm
Boxscore
South Cotabato Warriors
91–84
Manila Stars
Scoring by quarter: 27–19, 13–18, 26–21, 25–26
Pts: Jammer Jamito 21 Rebs: Christian Fajarito 9 Asts: Nico Elorde 7
Pts: Shawn Umali 29 Rebs: Shawn Umali 9 Asts: Peter Rosillo 6
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 24 6:00 pm
Boxscore
Batangas City Athletics
86–75
Bataan Risers
Scoring by quarter: 19–31, 24–16, 19–8, 24–20
Pts: Levi Hernandez 22 Rebs: Cedric Ablaza 9 Asts: MJ dela Virgen 7
Pts: Mitchelle Maynes 23 Rebs: Mitchelle Maynes 10 Asts: Kristoffer Torrado 4
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos :

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Qualification | PAM | QC | VAL | GSB |
| 1 | Pampanga Giant Lanterns | 3 | 3 | 0 | 285 | 223 | +62 | Playoffs | — | 73–68 | 103–80 | 109–75 |
| 2 | Quezon City Toda Aksyon | 3 | 1 | 2 | 247 | 233 | +14 | Playoffs | 68–73 | — | 99–77 | 80–83 |
| 3 | Valenzuela Classic | 3 | 1 | 2 | 250 | 263 | −13 | | 80–103 | 77–99 | — | 93–61 |
| 4 | GenSan Bulalakaw | 3 | 1 | 2 | 219 | 282 | −63 | | 75–109 | 83–80 | 61–93 | — |
* 1 2 3 Quezon City (1.119), Valenzuela (1.063), and GenSan (0.832) are ranked based on head-to-head point quotient.
Games :
MPTV
February 21 8:00 pm
Boxscore
Valenzuela Classic
93–61
GenSan Bulalakaw
Scoring by quarter: 29–21, 23–9, 19–16, 22–15
Pts: Nhazer Mohammad 15 Rebs: Bryan Boliver 15 Asts: Darell Manliguez 4
Pts: Manny Pacquiao 19 Rebs: Victor Nguidjol 10 Asts: Victor Nguidjol, David Sisson 3
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 22 4:00 pm
Boxscore
Quezon City Toda Aksyon
68–73
Pampanga Giant Lanterns
Scoring by quarter: 13–14, 17–16, 18–21, 20–22
Pts: Jonas Tibayan 13 Rebs: Jason Ballesteros 8 Asts: Rafael Are 4
Pts: Jhaymo Eguilos 13 Rebs: Justine Baltazar 21 Asts: Encho Serrano 8
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 23 4:00 pm
Boxscore
Pampanga Giant Lanterns
103–80
Valenzuela Classic
Scoring by quarter: 25–25, 30–20, 24–11, 24–24
Pts: Jeff Viernes 22 Rebs: Justine Baltazar 11 Asts: MJ Garcia 5
Pts: Dennis Santos 18 Rebs: Bryan Boliver 8 Asts: Darrell Manliguez 5
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 23 8:00 pm
Boxscore
Quezon City Toda Aksyon
80–83
GenSan Bulalakaw
Scoring by quarter: 11–23, 24–9, 17–26, 28–25
Pts: Rhinwill Yambing 18 Rebs: Kenji Roman 11 Asts: Camillus Altamirano 9
Pts: Victor Nguidjol 31 Rebs: Don Diamante 13 Asts: David Sisson 5
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 24 4:00 pm
Boxscore
Valenzuela Classic
77–99
Quezon City Toda Aksyon
Scoring by quarter: 25–30, 7–20, 21–22, 24–27
Pts: Ryan Trazona 18 Rebs: Dennis Santos 8 Asts: Darrell Manliguez 6
Pts: Rhinwill Yambing 24 Rebs: Kenji Roman 10 Asts: Kenji Roman 6
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
MPTV
February 24 8:00 pm
Boxscore
Pampanga Giant Lanterns
109–75
GenSan Bulalakaw
Scoring by quarter: 23–21, 23–24, 31–14, 32–16
Pts: Rence Alcoriza 16 Rebs: Justine Baltazar 15 Asts: Kurt Reyson 8
Pts: Victor Nguidjol 27 Rebs: Victor Nguidjol 8 Asts: Manny Pacquiao 5
Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos :

## Playoffs
### Bracket

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| A1 | South Cotabato | 84 | | | |
| B2 | Quezon City | 79 | | | |
| B2 | Quezon City | 79 | A1 | South Cotabato | 75 |
| | | | B1 | Pampanga | 93 |
| B1 | Pampanga | 78 | B1 | Pampanga | 93 |
| A2 | Batangas City | 59 | Battle for Third | Battle for Third | Battle for Third |
| | | | B2 | Quezon City | 60 |
| | | | A2 | Batangas City | 68 |

### Semifinals

* MPTV
* February 25 6:00 pm
* Boxscore
| Pampanga Giant Lanterns | 78–59 | Batangas City Athletics |
| Scoring by quarter: 15–11, 18–15, 16–22, 29–11 |||
| Pts: Justine Baltazar 17 Rebs: Justine Baltazar 17 Asts: Encho Serrano 4 | | Pts: Cedric Ablaza 14 Rebs: Jeckster Apinan 11 Asts: CJ Isit 4 |
* Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
* MPTV
* February 25 8:00 pm
* Boxscore
| South Cotabato Warriors | 84–79 | Quezon City Toda Aksyon |
| Scoring by quarter: 13–22, 22–13, 20–14, 29–30 |||
| Pts: John Wilson 23 Rebs: Christian Fajarito 9 Asts: Nico Elorde 8 | | Pts: Rafael Are 20 Rebs: Jason Ballesteros 10 Asts: Camillus Altamirano 6 |
* Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos

### Battle for Third

* MPTV
* February 27 6:00 pm
* Boxscore
| Batangas City Athletics | 68–60 | Quezon City Toda Aksyon |
| Scoring by quarter: 20–12, 10–19, 20–24, 18–15 |||
| Pts: RJ Ramirez 11 Rebs: Jeckster Apinan 13 Asts: MJ dela Virgen 5 | | Pts: Rhinwill Yambing 15 Rebs: Jason Ballesteros 9 Asts: Rafael Are 3 |
* Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos

### Finals

* MPTV
* February 27 8:00 pm
* Boxscore
| Pampanga Giant Lanterns | 93–75 | South Cotabato Warriors |
| Scoring by quarter: 20–13, 27–20, 32–15, 14–27 |||
| Pts: Encho Serrano 29 Rebs: Justine Baltazar 17 Asts: Kurt Reyson 8 | | Pts: John Wilson 26 Rebs: Christian Fajarito 8 Asts: Mark Cruz 5 |
* Lagao Gymnasium, General Santos
The Pampanga Giant Lanterns became the first Luzon-based team to win an MPBL Invitational championship, as the previous two (Basilan and Zamboanga) were all based in Mindanao.
Unlike previous Invitational tournaments, no Most Valuable Player award was given out at the conclusion of the tournament. Pampanga's Encho Serrano was declared the Player of the Game in the Finals.

## Media

This is the second MPBL Invitational under Cignal TV's ongoing broadcast partnership with the league. The games are broadcast on Media Pilipinas TV (MPTV) on television and are streamed live via Pilipinas Live. The league continues to stream all of the games online on Facebook and YouTube.