 In 1999, the MBA added three more franchises to increase their number of clubs to 15 with Nueva Ecija, San Juan, Metro Manila and Surigao.Under former national team coach Joe Lipa, the Patriots will parade Fil-American Alex Crisano, who played in Cortez High School back in the United States and was a slamdunk champion in a Filipino community in New York.Former Letran Knight Willie Miller, who at that time had an existing contract playing for Tanduay Rhum in the Philippine Basketball League.