Manila Metrostars to reunite in webinar

MANILA, Philippines – It will be a nostalgic trip down memory lane for Filipino basketball fans as the legendary 1999 MBA champion team Manila Metrostars gets a rare reunion Saturday night in a webinar presented by Hoop Coaches International.

Former Metrostars coach Louie Alas is gathering his solid coaching staff and all-star players led by Alex Compton and Rommel Adducul in an online video discussion being hosted by Blackwater since last month in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dubbed as “The Last Star”, the online show will be streamed on Hoop Coaches International's official social media accounts starting at 8 p.m. with veteran basketball commentator and analyst Sev Sarmenta serving as moderator.

Joining Adducul and Compton are webinar organizer Ariel Vanguardia, Peter Martin and Boycir Zamar, who served as Alas’ assistant coaches for Manila in the defunct amateur league.

Other players, staff as well as team owners will also be present.

Under the tutelage of Alas, who now serves as Phoenix Fuel mentor in the PBA, the Metrostars etched their own mark in the annals of Philippine basketball by winning 22 straight games en route to the MBA championship.

Spearheaded by 1999 MBA Season MVP Compton and Finals MVP Adducul, Manila went on to defeat the Dondon Hontiveros-led Cebu Gems, 4-2, in the finale.

The Metrostars previously rolled over Bong Alvarez’s Pampanga Dragons and Bong Ravena’s Pasig-Rizal Pirates in the quarter and semifinals, respectively.

Alas (Phoenix), Compton (Gilas Pilipinas), Adducul (Blackwater), Martin (San Miguel), Zamar (San Miguel) and Vanguardia (Blackwater) — who now serve as respective head coach, assistant and team official in pro ranks and national team — are expected to provide behind-the-scenes anecdotes and little known on-and-off court stories — on their famed MBA title run 21 year after.