2018_MPBL_Datu_Cup
2018–19 MPBL season
2nd season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League
The 2018–19 MPBL season, also known as the MPBL Datu Cup, was the second season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. The regular season began on June 12, 2018 and ended on March 11, 2019. The playoffs then began on March 12, 2019 and ended on April 25, 2019 when the San Juan Knights defeated the Davao Occidental Tigers in five games in the 2019 MPBL Finals.
| 2018–19 MPBL season | |
|---|---|
| League | Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Duration | Regular season: June 12, 2018 – March 11, 2019 Playoffs: March 12 – April 8, 2019 Finals: April 11–25, 2019 |
| Number of games | 364 (regular season) |
| Number of teams | 26 |
| TV partner(s) | S+A Fox Sports[1] |
| Regular season | |
| Top seed | Bataan Risers |
| Season MVP | Gab Banal (Bacoor City) |
| Playoffs | |
| North Division champions | San Juan Knights |
| North Division runners-up | Manila Stars |
| South Division champions | Davao Occidental Tigers |
| South Division runners-up | Batangas City Athletics |
| Finals | |
| Champions | San Juan Knights |
| Runners-up | Davao Occidental Tigers |
| Finals MVP | Mike Ayonayon (San Juan) |
| MPBL seasons | |
This season saw sixteen expansion teams, nearly tripling its size from 10 to 26 teams. It also marked the league's national expansion, with five of those teams coming from Visayas and Mindanao. This resulted to the addition of divisions, dividing the entire league into the North and South Divisions, although this only affected playoff seeding and not the overall format of the season, with the playoffs itself expanding to sixteen teams, eight per division.
The opening ceremony took place at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. The league also held its first ever All-Star Game at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on March 2, 2019, which saw the South Division beating the North Division with a score of 109–84.
Expansion
After a successful inaugural season, sixteen teams joined the league, its biggest expansion to date, bringing the a total of 26 teams. Metro Manila is the region with the most expansion teams at seven, those being the Makati Skyscrapers, Mandaluyong El Tigre, Manila Stars, Marikina Shoemasters, Pasay Voyagers, Pasig Pirates, and San Juan Knights. The Pampanga Lanterns joined from Central Luzon while the Bacoor City Strikers, Laguna Heroes, and Rizal Golden Coolers, joined from Calabarzon.
As part of the league's national expansion, the five remaining expansion teams came from either Visayas or Mindanao. The Cebu City Sharks from Central Visayas are the only expansion team from Visayas. The four teams from Mindanao are the Zamboanga Valientes representing the Zamboanga Peninsula, the Davao Occidental Tigers from the Davao Region, the GenSan Warriors from Soccsksargen, and the Basilan Steel from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (which later became Bangsamoro).
Mid-season, the MPBL side of the Zamboanga Valientes was relaunched and became the Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines following undisclosed management issues.
Introduction of divisions
Due to the much bigger size of the league, divisions were introduced to divide the teams into the North and South Divisions. Teams still play a single round-robin tournament as part of the regular season, but the playoff format was changed to accommodate the new divisions. The top eight teams from each division would advance to an expanded playoff tournament. Similar to the National Basketball Association (NBA), the champions from each division would face once another in what is dubbed the "National Finals".
Arenas
| Expansion team | |
| New arena |
Name changes
- The Bataan Defenders changed its name to Bataan Risers before the start of the season.
- The Makati Skyscrapers changed their team name to Makati Super Crunch in November 2018.
- The Valenzuela Classic its team name to Valenzuela Idol Cheesedogs in July 2018, but was later reverted back in November 2018.
- The Zamboanga Valientes changed its team name to Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines in 2019.
Coaching changes
| Off-season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Team | Outgoing coach | Incoming coach |
| Bulacan Kuyas | Chris Baluyot | Britt Reroma |
| Navotas Clutch | Elvis Tolentino | Richie Ticzon |
| Parañaque Patriots | Aric del Rosario | Eric Samson |
| Mid-season | ||
| Team | Outgoing coach | Incoming coach |
| Basilan Steel | Joseph Romarate | Jerson Cabiltes |
| Cebu City Sharks | Gilbert Castillo | Norberto Manalili |
| Imus Bandera | Jerry Codiñera Mike Orquillas |
Mike Orquillas Noynoy Falcasantos |
| Laguna Heroes | Alex Angeles | Nath Gregorio |
| Mandaluyong El Tigre | Mac Cuan | Arlene Rodriguez |
| Muntinlupa Cagers | Aldrin Morante Aldin Ayo |
Aldin Ayo Jack Azcueta |
| Navotas Clutch | Richie Ticzon | Gabby Severino |
| Pampanga Lanterns | Isaiah Duenas | Aldrin Morante |
| Bacoor Strikers | Budds Reyes | Leo Isaac |
| Pasig Pirates | James Machate | Ronjay Enrile |
| Parañaque Patriots | Eric Samson Richie Melencio |
Richie Melencio Monel Kallos |
| Valenzuela Classic | Chris Gavina Eric Samson |
Eric Samson Juven Formacil |
| Zamboanga Valientes | Ednie Morones | Raymund Valenzona |
Roster regulation changes
To ensure that the league remains balanced, a new rule was added so that teams were limited to only one Filipino-foreigner per roster, that player must also not be taller than 6'4" (193 cm). The player is classified as Filipino-foreigner if the player is a Filipino of foreign descent, regardless of being a Philippine passport holder. The new rule, however, caused some criticism from fans and players alike.[2][3]
Format
The 26 teams played in a single round-robin format, playing one game against all other teams in the league for a total of 25 games. In each gameday, a series of games is played in a designated home arena, with the home team usually playing in the final game.
The playoffs were expanded from eight teams to sixteen teams in this season. The top eight teams in each division advanced to a four-round, single-elimination playoffs, playing in best-of-three series in the first three rounds, and a best-of-five series in the National Finals, with homecourt advantage alternating between the higher seeds of each series in the first two rounds.
Standings
North Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bataan Risers | 25 | 23 | 2 | .920 | — | Playoffs |
| 2 | Makati Super Crunch | 25 | 21 | 4 | .840 | 2 | |
| 3 | San Juan Knights | 25 | 20 | 5 | .800[lower-alpha 1] | 3 | |
| 4 | Manila Stars | 25 | 20 | 5 | .800[lower-alpha 1] | 3 | |
| 5 | Bulacan Kuyas | 25 | 14 | 11 | .560 | 9 | |
| 6 | Navotas Clutch | 25 | 12 | 13 | .480[lower-alpha 2] | 11 | |
| 7 | Quezon City Capitals | 25 | 12 | 13 | .480[lower-alpha 2] | 11 | |
| 8 | Caloocan Supremos | 25 | 11 | 14 | .440[lower-alpha 3] | 12 | |
| 9 | Pampanga Lanterns | 25 | 11 | 14 | .440[lower-alpha 3] | 12 | |
| 10 | Valenzuela Classic | 25 | 10 | 15 | .400 | 13 | |
| 11 | Mandaluyong El Tigre | 25 | 8 | 17 | .320[lower-alpha 4] | 15 | |
| 12 | Pasay Voyagers | 25 | 8 | 17 | .320[lower-alpha 4] | 15 | |
| 13 | Pasig Pirates | 25 | 4 | 21 | .160 | 19 |
Rules for classification: 1) Win percentage; 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:
South Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Davao Occidental Tigers | 25 | 20 | 5 | .800 | — | Playoffs |
| 2 | Batangas City Athletics | 25 | 15 | 10 | .600[lower-alpha 1] | 5 | |
| 3 | Muntinlupa Cagers | 25 | 15 | 10 | .600[lower-alpha 1] | 5 | |
| 4 | GenSan Warriors | 25 | 14 | 11 | .560 | 6 | |
| 5 | Bacoor City Strikers | 25 | 13 | 12 | .520 | 7 | |
| 6 | Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines | 25 | 12 | 13 | .480 | 8 | |
| 7 | Imus Bandera | 25 | 11 | 14 | .440[lower-alpha 2] | 9 | |
| 8 | Cebu City Sharks | 25 | 11 | 14 | .440[lower-alpha 2] | 9 | |
| 9 | Laguna Heroes | 25 | 10 | 15 | .400 | 10 | |
| 10 | Parañaque Patriots | 25 | 8 | 17 | .320[lower-alpha 3] | 12 | |
| 11 | Marikina Shoemasters | 25 | 8 | 17 | .320[lower-alpha 3] | 12 | |
| 12 | Basilan Steel | 25 | 7 | 18 | .280[lower-alpha 4] | 13 | |
| 13 | Rizal Crusaders | 25 | 7 | 18 | .280[lower-alpha 4] | 13 |
Rules for classification: 1) Win percentage; 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:
Results
| Teams | BCR | BAS | BAN | BTG | BUL | CAL | CEB | DVO | GS | IMS | LAG | MKT | MDL | MNL | MAR | MUN | NAV | PAM | PAR | PSY | PSG | QC | RZL | SJ | VAL | ZAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacoor City | 79–67 | 75–84 | 62–70 | 76–77 | 86–68 | 76–71 | 50–69 | 71–82 | 90–79 | 91–86 | 67–73 | 61–83 | 92–86 | 85–87 | 83–97 | 81–75 | 80–81 | 20–0[lower-alpha 1] | 90–86 | 84–59 | 90–87 | 74–63 | 63–74 | 88–81 | 63–72 | |
| Basilan | — | 77–108 | 94–89 | 57–59 | 92–84 | 86–76 | 61–86 | 81–83 | 108–113 | 62–80 | 65–77 | 70–68 | 67–79 | 82–85 | 75–99 | 97–102 | 88–78 | 89–84 | 66–69 | 77–102 | 68–74 | 94–90 | 84–95 | 94–96 | 80–94 | |
| Bataan | — | — | 81–67 | 63–49 | 94–81 | 76–69 | 91–88 | 62–58 | 95–85 | 77–70 | 72–70 | 109–65 | 82–89 | 81–64 | 67–63 | 84–78 | 87–74 | 102–73 | 77–60 | 105–87 | 101–68 | 88–74 | 61–67 | 59–55 | 76–74 | |
| Batangas City | — | — | — | 54–63 | 81–69 | 66–72 | 70–71 | 92–86 | 96–93 | 54–61 | 72–65 | 61–57 | 79–80 | 62–52 | 82–71 | 98–101** | 75–80 | 71–57 | 60–57 | 69–62 | 95–90 | 92–90* | 85–78 | 66–78 | 104–93 | |
| Bulacan | — | — | — | — | 86–82 | 54–70 | 88–85* | 43–56 | 117–113* | 87–70 | 94–99 | 91–102 | 62–84 | 79–72 | 66–86 | 89–98 | 67–65 | 77–58 | 73–70 | 102–96 | 61–55 | 80–61 | 76–94 | 75–84 | 72–75 | |
| Caloocan | — | — | — | — | — | 70–71 | 68–82 | 84–75 | 74–69 | 76–62 | 57–79 | 83–77 | 68–95 | 94–91 | 79–72 | 55–59 | 78–62 | 87–94 | 85–63 | 91–81 | 79–81 | 92–80 | 77–81 | 90–87 | 67–72 | |
| Cebu City | — | — | — | — | — | — | 64–71 | 66–70 | 61–90 | 77–75** | 70–66 | 63–72 | 76–107 | 78–74 | 80–73 | 73–83 | 69–68 | 73–81 | 76–61 | 56–53 | 68–75 | 57–80 | 62–71 | 78–75 | 58–61 | |
| Davao Occidental | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 83–84 | 75–71 | 72–66 | 77–79 | 86–63 | 88–89 | 80–68 | 88–82 | 72–59 | 82–77 | 92–82 | 68–61 | 88–82 | 90–78 | 84–74 | 87–75 | 92–85 | 93–68 | |
| General Santos | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 79–73 | 69–66 | 71–86 | 93–89 | 57–63 | 81–88 | 60–61 | 80–73 | 72–64 | 80–76 | 64–70 | 116–72 | 72–77 | 65–58 | 76–86 | 72–79 | 78–69 | |
| Imus | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 67–65 | 79–76 | 107–90 | 68–69 | 72–71 | 74–80 | 79–78 | 88–76 | 95–77 | 75–79 | 117–87 | 71–80 | 73–85 | 50–77 | 81–71 | 78–83 | |
| Laguna | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 65–76 | 76–72 | 74–68 | 63–61 | 95–94 | 74–61 | 58–75 | 76–52 | 72–76 | 83–75 | 80–85 | 79–80 | 56–81 | 74–66 | 80–86 | |
| Makati | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 79–63 | 99–98 | 90–71 | 52–50 | 96–87 | 69–67 | 75–50 | 67–59 | 76–71 | 102–78 | 66–55 | 78–73 | 67–64 | 77–65 | |
| Mandaluyong | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 73–92 | 62–76 | 74–86 | 59–55 | 85–90 | 77–75 | 70–74 | 98–55 | 76–86 | 65–51 | 60–76 | 64–78 | 71–61 | |
| Manila | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 91–89 | 100–86 | 92–96 | 100–75 | 98–88 | 115–85 | 111–98 | 76–71 | 71–70 | 80–84* | 89–84 | 60–59 | |
| Marikina | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 76–85 | 80–76 | 76–91 | 68–71 | 71–69 | 71–67 | 78–74 | 69–75 | 65–77 | 99–102** | 80–87 | |
| Muntinlupa | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 101–95 | 80–87 | 77–76 | 80–67 | 98–92* | 97–100* | 84–80 | 77–71 | 90–86 | 85–69 | |
| Navotas | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 88–89 | 90–83 | 83–75 | 97–70 | 120–105 | 87–81 | 74–81 | 72–70 | 78–89 | |
| Pampanga | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 82–79 | 86–83 | 67–69 | 97–94 | 76–85 | 70–93 | 82–90 | 87–85 | |
| Parañaque | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 73–69 | 87–69 | 64–65 | 59–47 | 77–87 | 76–73 | 68–58 | |
| Pasay | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 84–71 | 83–81 | 87–81 | 66–89 | 80–93 | 74–91 | |
| Pasig | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | – | 98–95 | 81–78 | 60–87 | 88–95 | 78–92 | |
| Quezon City | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 81–79 | 50–68 | 76–72 | 109–81 | |
| Rizal | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 85–77 | 74–76 | 77–73 | |
| San Juan | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 102–83 | 80–59 | |
| Valenzuela | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 71–79 | |
| Zamboanga | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Legend: Blue = left column team win; Red = top row team win.
Matches with lighter background shading were decided after overtime.
Notes:
- Originally played on November 15, the game originally was an 82–81 Parañaque win. Due to a scoring error, the game would have been replayed at 81–81 in overtime, but Parañaque did not show up during the replay. Thus, the win was awarded to Bacoor City by forfeit.[4]
Not all games are in home–away format. Each team plays every team once. Number of asterisks after each score denotes number of overtimes played.
Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its division, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. Teams with home court advantage, the higher seeded team, are shown in italics.
| First Round (Best-of-3) | Division Semifinals (Best-of-3) | Division Finals (Best-of-3) | National Finals (Best-of-5) | ||||||||||||||||
| N1 | Bataan | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| N8 | Caloocan | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| N1 | Bataan | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| N4 | Manila | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| N4 | Manila | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| N5 | Bulacan | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| N4 | Manila | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| North Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| N3 | San Juan | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| N2 | Makati | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| N7 | Quezon City | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| N7 | Quezon City | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| N3 | San Juan | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| N3 | San Juan | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| N6 | Navotas | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| N3 | San Juan | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| S1 | Davao Occidental | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| S1 | Davao Occidental | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| S8 | Cebu City | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| S1 | Davao Occidental | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| S5 | Bacoor City | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| S4 | General Santos | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| S5 | Bacoor City | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| S1 | Davao Occidental | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| South Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| S2 | Batangas City | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| S2 | Batangas City | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| S7 | Imus | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| S2 | Batangas City | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| S6 | Zamboanga | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| S3 | Muntinlupa | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| S6 | Zamboanga | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
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First Round
In the First Round, the first- and second-seeded teams host games 1 and 3 of its respective division, while the third- and fourth-seeded teams host game 2.
North Division First Round
| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (1) Bataan Risers | 2–0 | (8) Caloocan Supremos | 91–71 | 83–71 | — |
| (2) Makati Super Crunch | 0–2 | (7) Quezon City Capitals | 77–88 | 74–77 | — |
| (3) San Juan Knights | 2–0 | (6) Navotas Clutch | 81–76 | 75–69 | — |
| (4) Manila Stars | 2–0 | (5) Bulacan Kuyas | 69–65 | 92–83 | — |
South Division First Round
| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (1) Davao Occidental Tigers | 2–0 | (8) Cebu City Sharks | 82–67 | 76–69 | — |
| (2) Batangas City Athletics | 2–1 | (7) Imus Bandera | 77–69 | 69–75 | 92–65 |
| (3) Muntinlupa Cagers | 1–2 | (6) Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines | 89–78 | 73–84 | 83–87 |
| (4) General Santos Warriors | 0–2 | (5) Bacoor Strikers | 80–90 | 78–92 | — |
Division Semifinals
In the Division Semifinals, the highest seeded team hosts games 1 and 3, while the second-highest seeded team hosts game 2.
North Division Semifinals
| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (1) Bataan Risers | 1–2 | (4) Manila Stars | 73–72 | 76–80 | 51-56 |
| (3) San Juan Knights | 2–0 | (7) Quezon City Capitals | 94–86 | 106–81 | — |
South Division Semifinals
Due to Davao Occidental advancing after game 2, Batangas City instead hosted game 3.
| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (1) Davao Occidental Tigers | 2–0 | (5) Bacoor Strikers | 79–71 | 87–67 | — |
| (2) Batangas City Athletics | 2–1 | (6) Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines | 58–72 | 67–57 | 80–72 |
Division Finals
In the Division Finals, the higher-seeded team hosts games 1 and 3 in its respective division, while the lower-seeded team hosts game 2.
North Division Finals
| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (3) San Juan Knights | 2–1 | (4) Manila Stars | 88–91 | 92–90 | 83–74 |
South Division Finals
| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (1) Davao Occidental Tigers | 2–1 | (2) Batangas City Athletics | 66–48 | 74–76 | 66–51 |
MPBL Finals
In the MPBL Finals, the higher-seeded team hosts games 1, 2, and 5, while the lower-seeded team hosts games 3 and 4.
Both teams finished the season 20–5, but the Davao Occidental Tigers held the homecourt advantage for the Finals, as they have defeated San Juan in their regular season matchup, but the San Juan Knights eventually won the championship in 5 games.
| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (S1) Davao Occidental Tigers | 2–3 | (N3) San Juan Knights | 74–84 | 67–60 | 62–67 | 77–66 | 86–87 |
The first ever MPBL All-Star Game took place on March 2, 2019 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena where the South All-Stars prevailed over the North All-Stars, 109–84. Jeff Viernes of the Batangas City Athletics was named the first ever MPBL All-Star MVP.[5]
Lineups
Game
March 2, 2019 |
| North All-Stars | 84–109 | South All-Stars |
| Scoring by quarter: 21–21, 23–20, 20–38, 20–30 | ||
| Pts: Chris Bitoon 11 | Pts: Jeff Viernes 19 | |
Pre-game events
Before the game itself, multiple pre-game events were held. These include the Executives' Game, 2-Ball Challenge, Three-Point Shootout, and Slam Dunk Competition. The champions of these events are as follows:
- Executives' Game Champions: North Division Executives
- 2-Ball Challenge Champions: Pamboy Raymundo and Byron Villarias (Bataan Risers)
- Three-Point Shootout Champion: Gary David (Bataan Risers)
- Slam Dunk Competition Champion: David Carlos (Makati Super Crunch)
Individual statistic leaders
| Category | Player | Team | Statistic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points per game | Almond Vosotros | Caloocan Supremos | 20.33 |
| Total Rebounds per game | JR Taganas | Bulacan Kuyas | 12.64 |
| Assists per game | Paolo Hubalde | Valenzuela Classic | 8.48 |
| Steals per game | Paolo Hubalde | Valenzuela Classic | 2.8 |
| Blocks per game | Aris Dionisio | Manila Stars | 2.17 |
| Turnovers per game | Bonbon Custodio | Davao Occidental Tigers | 4.4 |
| Fouls per game | Chad Alonzo | Bacoor City Strikers | 3.57 |
| Minutes per game | Paolo Castro | Parañaque Patriots | 33.58 |
| FG% | Art Patrick Aquino | San Juan Knights | 59.0% |
| FT% | Eric Dela Cuesta | Rizal Crusaders | 91.0% |
| 3FG% | Nico Abatayo | Batangas City Athletics | 67.0% |
| Double-doubles | Harold Miguel Arboleda | Parañaque Patriots | 7 |
| Triple-doubles | Gab Banal | Bacoor Strikers | 3 |
Individual game highs
| Category | Player | Team | Statistic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | Leomer Losentes | GenSan Warriors | 41 |
| Rebounds | JR Taganas | Bulacan Kuyas | 26 |
| Assists | Allan Mangahas | Muntinlupa Cagers | 17 |
| Steals | Warren Ybanez | Marikina Shoemasters | 8 |
| Blocks | Eduardo Doroteo | Pasig Pirates | 7 |
| Three-pointers | Yves Sazon | Marikina Shoemasters | 7 |
Most of the league's individual awards made their debut this season, which were given out before game 4 of the 2019 National Finals at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.[6] The Finals Most Valuable Player and Coach of the Year were given out at the conclusion of the series.
| Awards | Winner(s) | Team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most Valuable Player | Gab Banal | Bacoor City Strikers | [7] |
| Finals Most Valuable Player | Mike Ayonayon | San Juan Knights | |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Aris Dionisio | Manila Stars | |
| Coach of the Year | Randy Alcantara | San Juan Knights | |
| Executive of the Year | Oscar Malapitan | Caloocan Supremos | |
| Sportsmanship Award | JR Taganas | Bulacan Kuyas | |
| All-MPBL First Team | Mark Yee | Davao Occidental Tigers | |
| Gab Banal | Bacoor City Strikers | ||
| Aris Dionisio | Manila Stars | ||
| Chris Bitoon | Manila Stars | ||
| Allan Mangahas | Muntinlupa Cagers | ||
| All-MPBL Second Team | John Wilson | San Juan Knights | |
| Michael Mabulac | Laguna Heroes | ||
| Jai Reyes | Navotas Clutch | ||
| Harold Arboleda | Zamboanga Valientes | ||
| Leo Najorda | Davao Occidental Tigers |
| Week | Player | Stat Line | Against | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 12−16, 2018 | Reed Juntilla (Zamboanga Valientes) | 30 Points 6 Rebounds 5 Assists 1 Steal | Laguna Heroes | [8] |
| June 19−23, 2018 | Christopher Sumalinog (Bacoor City Strikers) | 22 Points 7 Rebounds 1 Assist 1 Steal 2 Blocks | Cebu City Sharks | [9] |
| June 26–30, 2018 | Jai Reyes (Laguna Heroes) | 21 Points 11 Rebounds 5 Assists 1 Steal | Pasig Pirates | [10] |
| July 3–6, 2018 | Bobby Ray Parks Jr. (Mandaluyong El Tigre) | 20 Points 11 Rebounds 10 Assists 7 Steals | Pasig Pirates | |
| July 10–12, 2018 | Mar Villahermosa (Caloocan Supremos) | 29 Points 3 Rebounds 2 Assists 5 Steals | Rizal Crusaders | |
| July 16–21, 2018 | Michael Juico (Pampanga Lanterns) | 35 Points 7 Rebounds 3 Assists 3 Steals | Parañaque Patriots | |
| July 31 – August 4, 2018 | Mikee Reyes (Bacoor City Strikers) | 21 Points 10 Rebounds 15 Assists 2 Steals | Caloocan Supremos | |
| August 7–11, 2018 | Reed Juntilla (Zamboanga Valientes) | 29 Points 11 Rebounds 4 Assists | Navotas Clutch | |
| August 14–16, 2018 | Gab Banal (Bacoor Strikers) | 25 Points 12 Rebounds 6 Assists | Laguna Heroes | |
| August 21–25, 2018 | Allan Mangahas (Muntinlupa Cagers) | 21 Points 4 Rebounds 5 Assists 2 Blocks | San Juan Knights | |
| August 28 – September 1, 2018 | Billy Ray Robles (Davao Occidental Tigers) | 21 Points 10 Rebounds 9/16 Field Goals | Valenzuela Idol Cheesedogs | |
| September 4–8, 2018 | Allan Mangahas (Muntinlupa Cagers) | 22 Points 12 Rebounds 12 Assists | Bacoor City Strikers | |
| September 11–13, 2018 | Aris Dionisio (Manila Stars) | 24 Points 10 Rebounds 2 Assists 2 Steals 2 Blocks | Caloocan Longrich | |
| September 19–23, 2018 | Mark Yee (Davao Occidental Tigers) | 16 Points 24 Rebounds 6 Assists | Pasay Voyagers | |
| September 25–29, 2018 | Mark Yee (Davao Occidental Tigers) | 29 Points 11 Rebounds 3 Assists 1 Steal 1 Block | Caloocan Supremos | |
| October 2–6, 2018 | Gab Banal (Bacoor Strikers) | 30 Points 10 Rebounds 4 Assists | Navotas Clutch | |
| October 9–13, 2018 | Jan Jamon (Pasay Voyagers) | 27 Points 5 Rebounds 2 Assists | Imus Bandera | [11] |
| October 16–20, 2018 | Bobby Balucanag (Pasay Voyagers) | 26 Points 13 Rebounds 2 Assists 1 Steal 1 Block | Quezon City Capitals | [12] |
| October 22–27, 2018 | Paolo Hubalde (Valenzuela Idol Cheesedogs) | 25 Points 10 Rebounds 6 Assists | Cebu City Sharks | |
| October 30 – November 3, 2018 | Jeff Viernes (Batangas City Athletics) | 21 Points 5 Rebounds 4 Assists 1 Steal | San Juan Knights | |
| January 3–5, 2019 | Renato Ular (Marikina Shoemasters) | 19 Points 15 Rebounds 2 Blocks | Bacoor Strikers | |
| January 7–12, 2019 | Mac Cardona (San Juan Knights) | 25 Points 5 Rebounds 2 Assists 2 Blocks | Basilan Steel | |
| February 11–16, 2019 | Mark Andaya (Pasig Pirates) | 16 Points 12 Rebounds 2 Assists 3 Blocks | Pampanga Lanterns |
Events
- March 11, 2019 – The Bacoor City–Parañaque replay was forfeited in Bacoor City's favor, marking the first time in which a game was forfeited in any manner.
This season marked the second of three years of ABS-CBN's broadcasting rights of the league, as games were aired on S+A channel. In addition, Fox Sports Philippines started broadcasting games this season. The league also began streaming all of its games on its official Facebook page.
- Joble, Rey (October 18, 2018). "FOX Sports to air monday MPBL games starting November 5". Fox Sports Philippines. Archived from the original on November 21, 2018. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
- "MPBL takes a hit for 'racist' rule limiting teams to only one Fil-foreign player". Spin.ph. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- "Tratter: MPBL rule on Fil-foreigners taking away opportunity from players". ESPN.com. May 17, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- Joble, Rey (March 11, 2019). "Bacoor secures No.5 seat in south after winning via forfeiture over Paranaque". Fox Sports Philippines. Retrieved March 11, 2019.[permanent dead link]
- "South tops North as Viernes, Anderson shine in MPBL All-Stars". Rappler. March 3, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
- Joble, Rey (April 18, 2019). "Ask the fans | Who makes your list of awardees for the MPBL Datu Cup?". Fox Sports Philippines. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
- Saldajeno, Ivan Stewart (April 22, 2019). "Gab Banal wins MPBL MVP plum". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Isaga, JR (June 20, 2018). "MPBL week 1: Juntilla bags Player of the Week, Sazon wows in opener". Rappler. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- Bolo, Lance (July 2, 2018). "Player of the Week (June 26–30): JAI REYES, Nagtala ng double-double performance (21pts, 11rebs, 5ast, 1stl) si Jai Reyes ng Laguna Krah Heroes upang makuha ang unang panalo ng kanyang koponan kontra sa home team Pasig Pirates nung nakaraang June 26". Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
- "Player of the Week: (Oct. 9-13): JAN JAMON (Pasay Voyagers)". Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Facebook Page. Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
- "Player of the Week (Oct. 16-20): BOBBY BALUCANAG (Pasay Voyagers)". October 22, 2018. Retrieved October 27, 2018.