POWER RANKINGS | THE 2002 MBA SEASON

The MBA’s final year in 2002 was bittersweet at best. At its peak, the league fielded 16 teams, but by the end, participation had dwindled to just eight.

The Batangas Blades, Cebu Gems, Davao Eagles, and Negros Slashers were the only teams left from the original roster. The Pampanga Stars, Pangasinan Waves, and Cagayan de Oro Nuggets were also part of the founding lineup, though they took leaves of absence at different points during the league’s run. The final entry was the Olongapo Volunteers, an expansion squad built around former MBA all-stars and reinforced by the PBL’s Welcoat Paint Masters.

The stats I pulled together cover the elimination round. Negros would eventually claim the last MBA championship, sweeping their longtime rivals, the Batangas Blades, in a best-of-three showdown. With that, here are my rankings of the ten best players from the 2002 MBA elimination round.

Game starts now!

(Author’s Note: The stats here were taken from the old MBA website, which I dug up through the Wayback Machine. I tried to find more detailed and standardized numbers, but this was the most reliable set available. If anyone has more info, feel free to reach out. Funny enough, the MPBL actually keeps better stats today than the PBA ever did.)

10 | PETER JUNE SIMON | DAVAO EAGLES

15.0PPG – 3.8RPG – 3.4APG – 0.9SPG – 0.9BPG | 10 GAMES

In the 2001 PBA Draft, Peter June Simon rolled the dice and entered his name early. The gamble backfired as he was picked 43rd overall by Sta. Lucia Realtors, a move that could have been avoided had he waited a year. By 2001, Simon had already broken out in the MBA, becoming one of Davao’s top guns alongside Jondan Salvador and Billy Mamaril. That run was so impressive, he would have been a surefire Top 3 pick in the 2002 PBA Draft. He wasn’t signed by a PBA team right away, but it turned into a blessing—he dominated the PBL with Hapee, winning an MVP, a Finals MVP, and two championships while battling future PBA stars like Jojo Tangkay and James Yap.

9 | BRUCE DACIA | CEBU GEMS

18.0PPG – 4.9RPG – 1.4APG – 2.2SPG | 10 GAMES

If Dondon Hontiveros was the MBA’s “Discovery of the Year” in 1998, Bruce Dacia could have easily been that guy in 1999 if not for Rafi Reavis’ breakout. He first made waves with the San Juan Knights’ championship squad before moving to Cebu, where he blossomed as the Gems’ top scorer. Known for his athleticism and highlight plays, Dacia became a key cog for Cebu during the league’s twilight years. When the MBA folded, he resurfaced in the PBL and later entered the 2003 PBA Draft, where FedEx picked him 21st overall. His PBA career lasted just one season, but he continued playing in the MVBL and other semi-pro circuits.

8 | JOHN FERRIOLS | NEGROS SLASHERS

14.6PPG – 8.8RPG – 1.4APG – 1.0SPG – 1.3BPG | 10 GAMES

John Ferriols is remembered as the MBA’s first MVP, and by 2002, he finally won a championship after three failed Finals attempts. His stats weren’t eye-popping, but that was because Negros had an incredibly deep roster. Even without Johnedel Cardel, who bolted to Olongapo, they still had Reynel Hugnatan, Leo Bat-Og, Dino Aldeguer, and Boyet “Pistolero” Francisco. Ferriols transitioned smoothly to the PBA, getting drafted 12th overall by FedEx in 2003. He may never have been a franchise cornerstone in the pros, but he carved out a solid career, with four all-star nods and two championships to his name.

7 | JOJO TANGKAY | CEBU GEMS

16.3PPG – 6.8RPG – 1.9APG – 2.8SPG | 10 GAMES

After a brief stint with the Sta. Lucia Realtors, Jojo Tangkay reinvented himself in the MBA with the Cebu Gems. He teamed up with Bruce Dacia to form one of the league’s most dangerous scoring tandems. While the MBA’s closure cut short what could have been a longer run, Tangkay thrived in the PBL, becoming Welcoat’s primary scorer before eventually handing the reins to James Yap. He was a talented offensive weapon, though teams rarely trusted him as a long-term franchise player. Had the MBA stuck around, the then-25-year-old Tangkay could have been one of Cebu’s cornerstones.

6 | ROMMEL ADDUCUL | PANGASINAN WAVES

14.1PPG – 11.5RPG – 1.3APG – 2.4BPG | 10 GAMES

By his lofty standards, 2002 was Rommel Adducul’s weakest MBA season. Even then, his numbers were still dominant—he was one of only three players to average a double-double. The General played second fiddle to Chris Clay in Pangasinan, a big shift after winning titles with the MetroStars and Blades. After the MBA folded, he played for Welcoat in the PBL, winning another MVP and his only Finals MVP after guiding the Paint Masters to a championship. Adducul may not have closed the MBA on a high note, but his résumé was already untouchable. And yes, then his PBA stint happened.

5 | JEFFREY SANDERS | BATANGAS BLADES

19.1PPG – 5.9RPG – 3.1APG – 1.5SPG – 1.1BPG | 10 GAMES

Jeffrey Sanders quietly put together an excellent 2002 season for Batangas. Initially known for his defense, he expanded his offensive game and slid into a Reuben Dela Rosa-type role after the latter moved to Negros. Unfortunately, the MBA’s disbandment crushed his momentum. He was drafted 35th overall by Coca-Cola in 2003 but wasn’t signed. A short stint with Ginebra followed, where he played just three games before fading into the semi-pro ranks. For a player who showed so much promise, his post-MBA trajectory was frustratingly short-lived.

4 | ALEX COMPTON | BATANGAS BLADES

19.7PPG – 3.8RPG – 5.0APG – 2.5SPG | 6 GAMES

Alex Compton’s 2002 campaign was his toughest in the MBA, as injuries limited him to just six games. Still, when he did play, The Heartbreaker delivered—serving as Batangas’ floor general and pushing them to another Finals appearance. His biggest hurdle came after the MBA folded, when PBA rules blocked him from playing as a local despite being born in the Philippines and speaking fluent Filipino. He toiled in the PBL and even had brief PBA stints as an import for Welcoat, but his prime years were stuck in limbo. Compton should have been a staple in the PBA, and the fact that he wasn’t remains one of the league’s great what-ifs.

3 | EDDIE LAURE | BATANGAS BLADES

16.8PPG – 12.4RPG – 1.7APG – 1.0SPG – 1.1BPG | 10 GAMES

Eddie Laure’s dominance in the MBA set sky-high expectations for his PBA career. Unfortunately, trades and team fits derailed what could have been a stellar run. In 2002, Laure capped his MBA stint with a bang, winning league MVP honors as Batangas’ franchise player. Afterward, he joined Welcoat in the PBL, winning another title alongside Rommel Adducul. Purefoods drafted him third overall in 2003, but despite a decent rookie season, he soon shifted into a journeyman role. Laure’s MBA peak was incredible, but his PBA arc never lived up to the hype.

2 | CHRIS CLAY | PANGASINAN WAVES

27.3PPG – 5.6RPG – 3.9APG – 1.7SPG – 1.1BPG | 10 GAMES

Chris Clay was a human highlight reel, the MBA’s answer to Danny Seigle, but with jaw-dropping dunks instead of "nakaupo sa ere" finesse. Nicknamed the “Texas Thunder,” he attacked the basket relentlessly and could take over games in an instant. With Pangasinan, he formed a one-two punch with Adducul, though the partnership never fully clicked. Clay often looked more like an import than a local, and as he should, since his incomplete citizenship papers prevented him from playing in the PBA as a Filipino. Still, Clay did get a short import stint with the Sta. Lucia Realtors, averaging 16 points and 4 rebounds over nine games. In the MBA, though, Clay was nothing short of a superstar.

1 | JEFFREY FLOWERS | OLONGAPO VOLUNTEERS

24.4PPG – 15.5RPG – 3.0APG – 1.0BPG | 10 GAMES

When the Laguna Lakers moved to the PBA as FedEx, it marked the slow end of Jeffrey Flowers’ Philippine run. The 6’8 forward was already 31 by 2003, and with family considerations, he opted not to join the PBA Draft. That decision cost him what could have been a fascinating late-career run, but in 2002, Flowers was at his absolute best. Without Chris Clay beside him, he became Olongapo’s centerpiece, dominating inside with a mix of power and finesse. Few could stop him—only Adducul, Laure, and perhaps Hugnatan or Bat-Og had the tools to match up. The Volunteers didn’t reach the Finals, but Flowers closed the MBA as its most unstoppable force.

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The 2002 MBA season may have been the league’s swan song, but it left behind a treasure trove of stories and unforgettable players. From hometown heroes who became household names to imports and Fil-Ams who played like rock stars on provincial hardwood, the MBA gave fans a brand of basketball that felt raw, exciting, and uniquely ours.

Many of its players eventually made the leap to the PBA, while others faded into semi-pro circuits, but all of them carried the mark of having played in a league that prioritized regional pride over corporate branding.

Looking back, the MBA’s final season was more than just a farewell tour—it was proof that talent and passion for basketball thrive everywhere. And even if the league is gone, its legacy still echoes in every city and province that once cheered for its own.

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