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. ==Uniforms==