Manila Metrostars
| Manila Metrostars | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Leagues | Metropolitan Basketball Association |
| Founded | 1998 |
| History |
Manila Metrostars 1998-2001 |
| Arena | Mail and More Arena |
| Location | Manila, Philippines |
| Team colors | blue, navy blue and white |
| Championships | 1 MBA National Championship |
The Manila Metrostars were a professional basketball team in the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association from 1998 to 2001. The team was the 1999 MBA National Champions and holds the MBA record (and Philippine professional basketball record?) of winning 22 consecutive games during the said season. The team was merged with the Batangas Blades in the 2001 season. In 1998, the Metrostars played home games at numerous venues such as the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym and a host of others before playing permanently at the Mail and More Arena (now San Andres Gym).
In 1998, the Metropolitan Basketball Association was formed as a regional-based professional league which also challenged the commercial Philippine Basketball Association. The team made the biggest steal of all when they acquired Rommel Adducul straight out of the San Sebastian College - Recoletos. The team also had Alex Compton, an American citizen who was born in the Philippines. Others include ex-PBA veterans Peter Martin, Frechie Ang, Ruben Dela Rosa and former Far Eastern University star Nestor Echano.
In their inaugural season, the Metrostars were coached by Ricky Dandan but lost to the eventual champion Pampanga Dragons in the Northern Conference Finals, 4–2. In 1999, Letran Knights head coach Louie Alas took over the reins as head coach while adding former PBL and Cebu native Gilbert Demape. The Metrostars had an early 4–2 record, but went on an incredible 22-game winning run before finishing the elimination phase with a 26–4 record. The Metrostars dethroned the Dragons in the Northern semis before beating the Pasig-Rizal Pirates in the Northern Conference finals. In the National Finals against the Cebu Gems, the Metrostars won their only MBA National title, 4–2. One of the memorable games during the series was a three-overtime shootout between Compton and Cebu's Dondon Hontiveros before Manila won the game on the road. Compton was named as the 1999 league MVP.
The Metrostars failed to defend their MBA crown in 2000 as they lost to the San Juan Knights in the Northern Conference Finals. In 2001, the Metrostars and the Batangas Blades agreed on a merger, retaining the Blades name. This eliminated the Manila Metrostars franchise as Adducul (the MVP of the 2000 season), Compton and a few holdovers from the squad joined the Blades.
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