From 2019 to 2022, both teams met in the playoffs in three consecutive seasons, all of their match-ups going the full three games, culminating in a division finals series in 2022.
The rivalry previously featured the Zamboanga Valientes, the predecessor to the Master Sardines, as they first met Batangas City during their first meeting in 2018.
Despite being the sixth seed and having a losing record in the regular season, the now-Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines won game 1 of the series.
However, they weren't able to complete the upset, as Batangas City won the next two games at home to advance to the division finals.
Within the last minute, Jaycee Marcelino successfully made a shot that gave Zamboanga their first lead in the game with 40 seconds remaining.