North Division (MPBL)

Division of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

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North DivisionLeague| Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

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Sport| Basketball
Founded| 2018
No. of teams| 14
Most recent
champion(s)| Pampanga Giant Lanterns
(1st title)
Most titles| San Juan Knights
(2 titles)

The North Division is one of two divisions in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), the other being the South Division. Both divisions were formed as a result of the league's national expansion in the 2018–19 season.[1] As of 2024, the North Division consists of 14 teams.

The most recent realignment occurred in the 2024 season. In that season, three expansion teams entered the league and were placed in the North Division, those being the Abra Weavers, Pangasinan Heatwaves, and Tarlac United Force. Two teams, the Makati OKBet Kings and Pasig City MCW Sports all departed from the league entirely. The league then realigned the Parañaque Patriots to the South Division to balance both divisions. Mid-season, Tarlac pulled out due to financial concerns, leaving the North Division with 14 teams.

## 2024 standings[edit]

Pos | Team

* v
* t
* e

| Pld | W | L | GB

|
|
|
|
|

1  | Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards | 11  | 11  | 0  | --
2  | Pampanga Giant Lanterns | 13  | 12  | 1  | --
3  | San Juan Knights | 11  | 10  | 1  | 1
4  | Manila Batang Sampaloc | 13  | 9  | 4  | 3
5  | Abra Weavers | 13  | 8[a] | 5  | 4
6  | Rizal Golden Coolers | 13  | 8[a] | 5  | 4
7  | Caloocan Batang Kankaloo | 10  | 6  | 4  | 4.5
8  | Pasay Voyagers | 13  | 7  | 6  | 5
|  |  |  |  |
9  | Valenzuela Classic | 14  | 7  | 7  | 5.5
10  | Quezon City Toda Aksyon | 13  | 6  | 7  | 6
11  | Pangasinan Heatwaves | 13  | 5  | 8  | 7
12  | Bataan Risers | 13  | 4  | 9  | 8
13  | Marikina Shoemasters | 13  | 3  | 10  | 9
14  | Bulacan Kuyas | 14  | 2  | 12  | 10.5
–  | Tarlac United Force[b] | 0  | 0  | 0  | 5.5

Updated to match(es) played on June 18, 2024. Source: Standings
Rules for classification: 1) Wins; 2) Head-to-head record; 3) Head-to-head point differential; 4) Head-to-head points scored; 5) Overall point differential; 6) Overall points scored.
Notes:

1. ^ a b Abra wins tiebreaker over Rizal based on head-to-head record.
2. ^ The Tarlac United Force was pulled out by the league due to the team's failure to comply with financial obligations.

## Teams[edit]

### Current[edit]

Team  | Locality  | Years in division

|
|

Abra Weavers | Abra | 2024–present
Bataan Risers | Bataan | 2018–present
Bulacan Kuyas | Bulacan | 2018–2020; 2023–present
Caloocan Batang Kankaloo | Caloocan | 2018–present
Manila Stars | Manila | 2018–present
Marikina Shoemasters | Marikina | 2019–present
Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards | Nueva Ecija | 2019–present
Pampanga Giant Lanterns | Pampanga | 2018–present
Pangasinan Heatwaves | Pangasinan | 2024–present
Pasay Voyagers | Pasay | 2018–2020; 2023–present
Quezon City Toda Aksyon | Quezon City | 2018–present
Rizal Golden Coolers | Rizal | 2019–2020; 2023–present
San Juan Knights | San Juan | 2018–present
Valenzuela Classic | Valenzuela | 2018–present

### Former[edit]

Team  | Locality  | Years in division  | Current division

|
|
|

Makati OKBet Kings | Makati | 2018–2023 | Inactive
Mandaluyong El Tigre | Mandaluyong | 2018–2019 | Inactive
Navotas Uni-Pak Sardines | Navotas | 2018–2020 | Inactive
Parañaque Patriots | Parañaque | 2019–2020; 2023 | South Division
Pasig City MCW Sports | Pasig | 2018–2023 | Inactive
Tarlac United Force | Tarlac | 2024[a] | Inactive

Notes

1. ^ The Tarlac United Force withdrew before their first game of the 2024 season due to not being able to fulfill the league's financial obligations to join the following season.

### Timeline[edit]

| Denotes team that is currently in the division

|

| Denotes team that has left the division
| Denotes period in which the team is/was in the opposing division

## North Division Finals history[edit]

Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of times that team has appeared in the North Division Finals, as well as each respective teams' North Division Finals record up to date.

| Won MPBL Finals

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Season  | Champion  | Series  | Runner-Up

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|
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2018–19
Datu Cup | San Juan
(1, 1–0) | 2–1  | Manila
(1, 0–1)
2019–20
Lakan Cup | San Juan
(2, 2–0) | 2–1  | Makati
(1, 0–1)
2022 | Nueva Ecija
(1, 1–0) | 2–1  | San Juan
(3, 2–1)
2023 | Pampanga
(1, 1–0) | 2–0  | San Juan
(4, 2–2)

## Season results[edit]

Legend

| Won MPBL Finals
| Won Division Finals, but lost the MPBL Finals
| Qualified for the playoffs
Season  | Team

|

1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th | 16th

* 2018: The North Division was formed with thirteen member teams.

2018–19
Datu Cup | BAN
(23–2)  | MKT
(21–4)  | SJ
(20–5)  | MNL
(20–5)  | BUL
(14–11)  | NAV
(13–12)  | QC
(12–13)  | CAL
(11–14)  | PAM
(11–14)  | VAL
(10–15)  | MDL
(8–17)  | PSY
(8–17)  | PSG
(4–21)  | —  | —  | —

* 2019: Expansion side Nueva Ecija was placed in the North Division while Mandaluyong departed from the league. Marikina, Parañaque, and Rizal joined from the South Division.

2019–20
Lakan Season | SJ
(26–4)  | MNL
(25–5)  | MKT
(22–8)  | PAM
(21–9)  | BAN
(20–10)  | BUL
(19–11)  | PSG
(18–12)  | PSY
(17–13)  | CAL
(16–14)  | VAL
(11–19)  | NE
(10–20)  | QC
(10–20)  | MAR
(8–22)  | PAR
(8–22)  | NAV
(7–22)  | RZL
(6–23)

* 2022: Bulacan, Navotas, Parañaque, and Pasay all departed from the league. Rizal was realigned to the South Division.

2022 | NE
(21–0)  | PSG
(14–7)  | SJ
(14–7)  | PAM
(14–7)  | BAN
(13–8)  | VAL
(10–11)  | QC
(9–12)  | MAR
(8–13)  | CAL
(6–15)  | MNL
(6–15)  | MKT
(2–19)  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —

* 2023: Returning sides Bulacan, Parañaque, and Pasay were all placed in the North Division. Rizal rejoined from the South Division.[2]

2023 | PAM
(26–2)  | NE
(23–5)  | MKT
(21–7)  | CAL
(20–8)  | PSG
(19–9)  | SJ
(19–9)  | PSY
(17–11)  | MAR
(16–12)  | BAN
(13–15)  | RZL
(12–16)  | PAR
(11–17)  | BUL
(7–21)  | MNL
(4–23)  | QC
(3–25)  | VAL
(3–25)  | —

* 2024: Expansion sides Abra and Pangasinan were all placed in the North Division while Makati and Pasig all departed from the league. Parañaque was realigned back to the South Division.

## Rivalries[edit]

### Nueva Ecija vs. San Juan[edit]

Main article: Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards–San Juan Knights rivalry

## References[edit]

1. ^ Henson, Joaquin M. "Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League opens next joust June 12". Philstar.com. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
2. ^ "P3M at stake in MPBL preseason joust". Philstar.com. Retrieved February 20, 2023.

* v
* t
* e

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

2024 MPBL season

* Founder: Manny Pacquiao
* COO: Zaldy Realubit
* Commissioner: Kenneth Duremdes

North Division|

Abra Weavers
Bataan Risers
Bulacan Kuyas
Caloocan Batang Kankaloo
Manila Batang Sampaloc
Marikina Shoemasters
Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards
Pampanga Giant Lanterns
Pangasinan Heatwaves
Pasay Voyagers
Quezon City Toda Aksyon
Rizal Golden Coolers
San Juan Knights
Valenzuela Classic

South Division|

Bacolod City of Smiles
Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters
Bicolandia Oragons
Biñan Tatak Gel
Davao Occidental Tigers
Iloilo United Royals
Imus Agimat
Mindoro Tamaraws
Muntinlupa Cagers
Negros Muscovados
Parañaque Patriots
Quezon Huskers
Sarangani Marlins
South Cotabato Warriors
Zamboanga Master Sardines

Former teams|

Navotas Uni-Pak Sardines (2018–2020)
Mandaluyong El Tigre (2018–2019)
Basilan Steel (2018–2020)
Cebu Casino Ethyl Alcohol (2018–2020)
Bacoor City Strikers (2018–2023)
Makati OKBet Kings (2018–2023)
Pasig City MCW Sports (2018–2023)

History|

* Timeline
* Seasons
* Champions
* Records
* All-time standings

Others|

* Awards
* Finals MVP
* MVP
* DPOY
* Venues

* Category

This article needs additional or more specific categories. Please help out by adding categories to it so that it can be listed with similar articles. (January 2024)

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*[Pos]: Position
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Pld]: Played
*[W]: Won
*[L]: Lost
*[GB]: Games behind