Manila Stars

Last updated

Manila Stars
Basketball current event.svg 2024 Manila Stars season
Manila Stars logo.png
League MPBL (2018–present)
PSL (2022–present)
Founded2018;6 years ago (2018)
HistoryManila Stars
2018–present (MPBL)
Manila CityStars
2022–present (PSL)
Arena Ninoy Aquino Stadium
Rizal Memorial Coliseum
San Andres Sports Complex
Location Manila
Team colors   
Main sponsor Strong Group Athletics
Awesam Smile
Head coachGabby Severino

The Manila Stars are a Filipino professional basketball team based in Manila. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's North Division. They are the lone representative of Metro Manila's Capital District and play their home games at San Andres Sports Complex.

Contents

The team was founded as an expansion team for the 2018–19 MPBL season. The team has also competed in the Pilipinas Super League since 2022 under the name Manila CityStars.

History

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

The nation's capital joined the MPBL for the 2018–19 season, and in its first season, made an instant impact. The team finished 20–5, tying with San Juan and Davao Occidental for the league's third-best record, as the Stars clinch the fourth seed in the 2019 playoffs. After getting past Caloocan in the First Round, they met with the league-leading Bataan Risers in the North Division Semifinals. Although Bataan won game 1, Manila pushed through the next two games to finish the upset and advance to the North Division Finals against San Juan. The series went in a similar way but in the opposite manner, as Manila won game 1 but with San Juan winning the next two to advance to the National Finals and eventually win the championship.

Manila came back stronger for the 2019–20 season, finishing 25–5, clinching the second seed in the 2020 playoffs. The team first beat Pasig in the First Round, but feel short in the Division Semifinals against Makati. Once again, Manila won game 1, yet Makati won the rest of the series.

For the 2021 Invitational, Manila tapped Cholo Villanueva as their head coach, but only finished third in Group D, failing to make the playoffs. Villanueva would later depart for the Batangas City Embassy Chill. [1]

In 2022, the team missed the playoffs for the first time, only getting six wins out of 21 games in the season, finishing 10th of 11 in the North.

Pilipinas Super League

The Stars came to the PSL for the 2022 DUMPER Cup during the MPBL's off-season. Finishing 9–6 in the conference, Manila tied with Boracay and Bulacan for seventh. The team managed to settle for eighth but lost to the San Juan Kings in the Quarterfinals.

Team identity

The name can be traced back to the Manila Metrostars of the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association. The logo of the Stars features silhouettes of some of Manila's historic landmarks, such as the Rizal Monument and Manila Cathedral.

Manila's color scheme has always used blue as the primary color. The secondary color has varied overtime: orange from 2018 to 2019, red from 2019 to 2023, and green since 2023.

Home arenas

The Manila Stars have played all of their home games at San Andres Sports Complex since joining the MPBL. In 2022, a portion of their home slate was played at Paco Arena.

Current roster

PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
2 Cuya, Dash 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
5 Bautista, Steven
F 6 Yu, Mark 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Lyceum
8 Guevara, Michael  (HG)
F 13 Yutuc, Jay  (HG)6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
F 17 Morales, Carlos 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
G 22 Flores, Raphael 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
G 23 Gregg, John 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
25 Eusebio, Redgimir
C 28 Umali, Shawn  (HG, SGL)6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) St. Benilde
G 29 Rosilio, Peter  (HG, SGL)5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Letran
G 35 Sario, Marco 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
F 39 Monje, Kobe 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Letran
C 81 Dava, Carlo Miguel 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
C Al-Hussaini, Rabeh 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)240 lb (109 kg)1988–08–11 Ateneo
F Bataller, Ira 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Letran
F Cruz, Carl Bryan 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)200 lb (91 kg)1991–08–21 Far Eastern
F Escandor, Francis 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) De La Salle
F Gonzaga, Jio 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
G Javelona, Paolo 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)170 lb (77 kg)1992–10–25 National-U
C Lopez, John Derico 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) José Rizal
G Navarro, Lorenzo 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Lyceum
G Talampas, Jade 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Arellano
G Tempra, James 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Far Eastern
F Jamon, Jan 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)1993–04–05 Emilio Aguinaldo
G Fontanilla, Joshua 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) UST
Head coach
  • Gabby Severino
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (HG) Homegrown
  • (FF) Filipino-foreigner
  • (SGL) Special Guest Licensee
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

Updated as of: March 30, 2024

Head coaches

#NameTermRef.
1 Philip Cezar 2018–19
2Tino Pinat 2019–20
3 Pocholo Villanueva 2021
4Maximino Dayandante, Jr. 2022
5Tylon Darjuan 2023
6Bam Ledesma2023
7Bimbot Anquilo2023
8Gabby Severino 2024

Notable players

Manila Stars notable players
PlayerPositionTenureAwardsAll-Star
Chris Bitoon2018–20201x All-MPBL First Team (2019)
1x All-MPBL Second Team (2020)
1 (2019)
Aris Dionisio 2018–20201x Defensive Player of the Year (2019)
1x All-MPBL First Team (2019)
1x All-MPBL Second Team (2020)
2 (2019, 2020)
Ronnie Matias 20221 (2022)

Season-by-season records

League champions
Division champions
Qualified for playoffs
Best regular season record

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

SeasonRegular seasonPlayoffs
DivisionFinishWLPCTStageResults
Manila Stars
2018–19
Datu Cup
North4th205.800First Round
Division Semifinals
Division Finals
won vs. Bulacan, 2–0
won vs. Bataan, 2–1
lost vs. San Juan, 1–2
2019–20
Lakan Season
North2nd255.833First Round
Division Semifinals
won vs. Pasig, 2–0
lost vs. Makati, 1–2
2022 North10th615.286Did not qualify
2023 North13th423.148Did not qualify
2024 NorthTo be determined
All-time regular season record5548.5342 playoff appearances
All-time playoff record85.6150 Finals appearances
All-time overall record6353.5430 championships

Pilipinas Super League

SeasonElimination roundPlayoffs
FinishWLPCTStageResults
Manila CityStars
2022–23
DUMPER Cup
8th96.600Quarterfinalslost vs. San Juan, 0–1
2023–24
President's Cup
14th513.278First Roundlost vs. Nueva Ecija, 0–1
All-time elimination round record1419.4242 playoff appearances
All-time playoff record01.0000 Finals appearances
All-time overall record97.4000 championships

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References

  1. "Cholo Villanueva is the new Manila coach in MPBL". ABS-CBN News. November 24, 2021.