Metropolitan Basketball Association (1998-2002)

[michaeljan23]

damn i'm nostalgic now.. I remember going home early from my elementary classes, snubbing my classmates who were egging me to play some kind of games after school just to catch Donbel Belano and the Davao Eagles play..
Man, I was just seven or eight years old then..
And I could even recall the Eagles' game against Iloilio Megavoltz which the Voltz won and eliminated the Eagles. I was totally in tears that time. That's why I never forgot Lou Gatumbato who just recently suited up for the Air21 in the PBA. There were 3 of them actually. Dale Singson and Ronald Magtulis.

[Servinio]

One of the first activities of the suddenly idle MBA players after the league suspended operations was to play in Indonesia in October, 2002. CLICK HERE.

[Servinio]

Let us review the last year (or to be more precise, half-year) of the Metropolitan Basketball Association in 2002 as recorded in Weekly Sports Digest. CLICK HERE.

[digitalsuperman]

i wonder where are egay echaves and roy lura is playing now.

[budz17]

which was most successful, best team name?

hi guys, which team do you think was the most successful, in terms of basketball success, fan support, team name?

my pick, negros slashers for team name, they were also successful for the whole duration of mba with a lot of fans supporting them and also they had a very entertaining style of play.

I'm biased though, I'm from negros.

also, I think the best series ever in the MBA was between negros and cebu for south conference title in the inaugural season, with negros coming back from a 3-1 deficit to win the the series 4-3, it was just so dramatic.

[rocketstar47]

Remembering the "MBA" or "Metroball"

Do you remember this

manila metro stars
cebu gems
davao eagles
cagayan de oro nuggts/amigos
iloilo megavoltz/voltz
negros slashers
socsargen marlins
pasig blue/rizal pirates
batangas blades
laguna lakers
pangasinan presidents/waves
san juan knights
surigao warriors/miners
olongapo volounteers
pampanga dragons
nueva ecija patriots

wats ur favorite team?

[shootingbwakaw]

MBA

[Saskibaloia]

My team ...

Definitely the Pampanga Dragons as my dad's from that region. There was a team in our local Filipino Basketball Competition here in Sydney Australia who were called the Pampanga Dragons. This was back in 2008. All of the lads were from Pampanga or near by provinces such as Tarlac as they would all communicate in Pampangueno. In the finals when they took on my cousin's team I would try to listen to what they were saying, whenever they would shout out instructions, I would then translate and tell my cousin's coach what they were saying. I could understand Pampangueno but I don't know how to speak it, though I wish I did.

[seigle42]

forget it, we have a D-League

[saints13]

there was a time when I closely monitored the MBA..so excited about it that I don't even care about the PBA. hehe.

[rocketstar47]

I Remember the unique rules of this league specially the blitz three and 23 seconds shot clock violation.

[bognut]

wats ur favorite team?

Socsargen Marlins with The 6'1" Power Forward Mad Max Dellantes!

The ultimate Bulldog look-a-like!

[amsm07]

http://www.funnysigns.net/files/bye-gravestone.jpg

MBA

forget it, we have a D-League

i don't get these posts LOL

are these expressions of disinterest or bitterness?

i mean the TS was only asking about our memory for this league

i think this league had a big impact against the PBA especially for the audiences outside Metro Manila. i actually felt a point where it became way more popular and the regional rivalry (for good or bad) was exciting and fun to watch.

i remember when i took college in Cebu (i'm originally from CDO), people would flock to the TVs of the food court in the Ayala Mall and watch the Cebu Gems games like the way people would watch the Pacquiao fights.

[lovejones]

I think the biggest contribution of the MBA to the world of basketball is the 8 second rule for a team to cross the half court line.

For the PBA, I believe it was the use of three referees instead of two in a ballgame.

As far as I know, the Philippines was the first to do these things. JP Mercado or Nardy, kindly correct me if I'm wrong.

[silverwing]

Actually I dont really understand how MBA died. I like the concept and it has a very good fan base as well. How I wish MBA was successful. I like Pampanga Dragons and Cebu Gems during that time.