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Jericho earns Best Player of the Game honors
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Posted on Dec 09 2014
Jericho Cruz celebrates after scoring the breakaway layup that sealed Rain or Shine’s victory against Alaska last week in the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. (KC Cruz)
Cruz scored 10 points in the fourth quarter for the Elasto Painters, including the team’s last 4 that sealed ROS’ place in the semifinals of the PBA’s season-opening conference. He finished with 16 markers, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals to earn Best Player of the Game honors.
The 24-year-old former Adamson King Falcon and the Painters’ ninth overall pick in this year’s rookie draf, capped his impressive performance with a breakaway layup to secure Rain or Shine’s sixth straight win.
Cruz was the third best scorer for the Elasto Painters behind shifty guard Paul Lee’s 19-point, 8-rebound, 5-assist performance and big man Beau Belga’s double-double of 16 markers and 12 boards.
It was Cruz’s third time in his rookie season to score in double digits, with the first one recorded in ROS’ 117-88 demolition of expansion team and the Manny Pacquioa-coached Kia Sorentos, as he finished with 12 points. He then tallied 15 markers, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals in the Painters’ 107-79 crushing of Meralco in a PBA out-of-town game in Davao City.
Cruz’s heroics earned him the admiration of Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao.
“Special mention to Jericho Cruz. He played like a veteran. He made us look good when we picked him in the rookie draft,” said the outspoken mentor in the postgame interview with sports website Spin.ph
“He made his free throws, defended well, and made those baskets. It certainly made us look good drafting him.”
Cruz said that he was just repaying the trust given to him by Guiao.
“We’re happy we got this win. I hope it would continue in the semis round. I thank coach Yeng for the trust he has given me and to my teammates for all the help,” Cruz added.
The Painters ended the conference with 9-2 card following a 100-90 triumph over crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra last Sunday to earn one of the two automatic semis berths in the Philippine Cup. (Jon Perez)
