Jericho Cruz

Last updated

Jericho Cruz
PBA - TNT vs ROS - Jericho Cruz - ROS - 2016-0321 (25973208055).jpg
Cruz with Rain or Shine in 2016
No. 39San Miguel Beermen
Position Shooting guard
League PBA
Personal information
Born (1990-10-11) October 11, 1990 (age 33)
Pasig, Philippines
NationalityFilipino / Guamanian / Northern Mariana Islander
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school Marianas High School
College Rizal Technological University
Adamson University
PBA draft 2014: 1st round, 9th overall pick
Selected by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
Playing career2014–present
Career history
2014–2018 Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
2018–2019 TNT KaTropa
2019–2022 NLEX Road Warriors
2022–present San Miguel Beermen
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's Basketball
Representing Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2013 Naypyidaw Team

Jericho Xavier Setubal Cruz (born October 11, 1990) is a Filipino-Guamanian professional basketball player for the San Miguel Beermen of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Contents

High school and college career

Cruz started his basketball career in Saipan where he helped the CNMI national basketball team in a sixth-place finish. In 2008, he also helped CNMI FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament to a sixth-place finish and in the process, was voted as one of the tournament's Top 5 players.

He then decided to try his luck in the Philippines where he initially played for Rizal Technological University in 2010, the same year when the Blue Thunder ruled the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association.

He was also a member of RTU’s two-time runner up squad in the National Capital Region Athletic Association where the Blue Thunder lost to Olivarez College and Colegio de Sta. Monica in 2010 and 2011. He was a member of the Mythical Team in 2011.

He was spotted by then Adamson Soaring Falcons coach Leo Austria while playing in a tournament in Bacolod. He averaged 10.1 points per game in his first tour of duty with the Falcons in the 2011 FilOil Flying V Preseason tournament then averaged 12.3 markers per outing in his rookie year with Adamson in the 2012 UAAP season. [1]

He elected to forgo his final year with the Falcons and applied for the 2014 PBA draft.

Professional career

Cruz was drafted 9th overall by Rain or Shine in the 2014 PBA draft. [2]

On December 5, 2014, he registered his first breakout game against Alaska, finishing 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting. [3] Two days later, he suffered a broken foot during their game against Ginebra and was out for the rest of the All-Filipino conference. [4] He has since returned to active play in the 2015 Commissioner's Cup.

He was recognized during the 2016 PBA Leo Awards as he bagged the Most Improved Player trophy. [5]

On February 15, 2018, he was traded to TNT KaTropa in exchange for rookie Sidney Onwubere, Kris Rosales, and 2018 first round pick. [6]

On June 10, 2019, Cruz was traded to the NLEX Road Warriors in a three-team trade involving NLEX, TNT, and NorthPort Batang Pier. [7] On December 31, 2021, he became an unrestricted free agent, but he eventually re-signed a two-month deal with NLEX on January 20, 2022. [8]

On March 1, 2022, he became an unrestricted free agent again after not re-signing with NLEX. [9] He immediately signed a three-year contract with the San Miguel Beermen on the same day. [10] Four months thereafter Cruz set his career-high 30 points in SMB's tough win over TNT. [11]

PBA career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GSGames started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high

As of the end of 2022–23 season [12]

Season-by-season averages

YearTeamGPMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2014–15 Rain or Shine 4017.0.421.237.8612.41.4.7.06.6
2015–16 Rain or Shine 5324.4.483.367.7483.22.1.8.112.5
2016–17 Rain or Shine 3823.8.396.306.7354.52.41.0.19.8
2017–18 Rain or Shine 2720.7.415.355.7102.92.81.3.18.0
TNT
2019 TNT 2523.3.372.270.7193.83.4.9.09.4
NLEX
2020 NLEX 1025.9.516.383.6962.53.81.3.213.2
2021 NLEX 2624.6.432.256.6983.33.01.3.19.5
San Miguel
2022–23 San Miguel 5624.8.440.322.7182.62.6.8.111.3
Career27522.9.435.316.7443.22.5.9.110.0

National team career

Cruz was a part of the Philippines team that won the gold medal at the 2013 Southeast Asian Games basketball tournament in Naypyidaw, Myanmar.

He has also represented the Northern Mariana Islands at the youth level, playing in the 2008 FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament leading CNMI to a sixth-place finish and in the process, was voted as one of the tournament's Top 5 players, [1] and in the 2010 Micronesian Games.

In January 2020, Cruz received a call-up to play for Guam at the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TNT Tropang Giga</span> Philippine professional basketball team

The TNT Tropang Giga is a professional basketball team currently owned by Smart Communications, a subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) since 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Miguel Beermen</span> Philippine professional basketball team

The San Miguel Beermen are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). It is one of three PBA clubs owned by the San Miguel Corporation group of companies along with the Magnolia Hotshots and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. It is the most successful franchise in the history of the PBA and the only remaining original franchise in the league. The Beermen have the most titles with 28 and the most all-time victories with more than 1,200 wins. In addition, it has won the Grand Slam in 1989 and the Perpetual Jun Bernardino Trophy after winning three straight PBA Philippine Cups from 2015 to 2017. It is also the only team to have won at least one PBA title in each of the six numerical decades of the league's existence and was the first professional basketball team ever to come back from a 0–3 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series which they did during the 2015–16 Philippine Cup Finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jong Uichico</span> Filipino basketball coach

Joseph Enrique "Jong" Floro Uichico is a Filipino professional basketball coach who is currently serving as the assistant coach of NLEX Road Warriors in the Philippine Basketball Association. Uichico is a former Philippine national team Youth member and a former player and head coach of the La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP before replacing Ron Jacobs as SMB coach in 1999. Uichico was coach of the San Miguel Beermen from 1999–2006, leading the Beermen to six PBA championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Washington</span> Filipino-American basketball player

Anthony Jay Washington is a Filipino-American professional basketball player who last played for Yokohama Excellence of the Japanese B.League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Ganuelas-Rosser</span> Filipino-American basketball player

Matthew Allen Ganuelas-Rosser is a Filipino professional basketball player for the TNT Tropang Giga of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He played college basketball for the NCAA Division II school Cal Poly Pomona. He was recruited to play for the Philippine national basketball team during their 2012 William Jones Cup campaign. He was drafted 4th overall by NLEX in the 2014 PBA draft.

Garvo A. Lanete is a Filipino former professional basketball player. He previously played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) for three teams. He also won four championships in the NCAA, multiple PBA D-League titles, and played for the Philippines' men's national basketball team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013–14 PBA season</span> 39th PBA season

The 2013–14 PBA season was the 39th season of the Philippine Basketball Association. The season formally opened on November 17, 2013, and finished on July 9, 2014. The league continued to use the three-conference format, starting with the Philippine Cup, or the traditional All-Filipino Conference. The Commissioner's Cup and the Governors' Cup is the second and third conferences for this season. Originally scheduled to end on August 13, the season schedule was shortened to allow more time for Gilas Pilipinas to prepare for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2014 Asian Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewel Ponferada</span> Filipino basketball player

Jewel Ponferada is a Filipino professional basketball player for the TNT Tropang Giga of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was selected 13th overall in the 2012 PBA draft by the San Mig Coffee Mixers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RR Garcia</span> Filipino basketball player

Ryan Roose B. Garcia is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was selected 6th overall in the 2013 PBA draft by the Barako Bull Energy Cola.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raymond Almazan</span> Filipino basketball player

Raymond Canaria Almazan is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Meralco Bolts of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He is nicknamed Rock N' Roll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Chua</span> Filipino basketball player

Justin Shaun Rodriguez Chua is a Filipino professional basketball player for the TNT Tropang Giga of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He plays the center and power forward positions. He was the former star player of Chiang Kai Shek College during his high school days. He played for the Ateneo de Manila University before being selected tenth overall in the 2013 PBA draft by San Mig Super Coffee Mixers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NLEX Road Warriors</span> Philippine professional basketball team

The NLEX Road Warriors is a professional basketball team owned by NLEX Corporation, a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, currently playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) since the 2014–2015 season.

Juan Miguel B. "Juami" Tiongson is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Terrafirma Dyip of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Tiongson was drafted by the Blackwater Elite twelfth overall in the 2014 PBA draft. He played college basketball at Ateneo de Manila University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Trollano</span> Filipino basketball player

Celedonio B. "Don" Trollano Jr. is a Filipino professional basketball player for the San Miguel Beermen of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Simon Nicholas Marquez Enciso is a Filipino-American professional basketball player for the San Miguel Beermen of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kris Rosales</span> Filipino-American basketball player

Krismoir Sajise Rosales is a Filipino-American professional basketball player for the NorthPort Batang Pier of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was drafted 19th overall in the 2015 PBA draft by the Barako Bull Energy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 PBA draft</span>

The 2018 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) rookie draft was an event that allowed teams to take turns selecting amateur basketball players and other eligible players, including half-Filipino foreign players. The league determined the drafting order based on the performance of the member teams from the 2017–18 season, with the worst team picking first.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CJ Perez</span> Filipino basketball player (born 1993)

Christian Jaymar Perez is a Hong Kong-born Filipino professional basketball player for the San Miguel Beermen of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was selected 1st overall in the 2018 PBA draft by Columbian Dyip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PBA Season 46 draft</span> Basketball draft

The PBA Season 46 draft was the 36th edition of the PBA draft. The league determined the drafting order based on the performance of the member teams from the 2020 season, with the team having the worst record picking first. For this draft, the PBA decided to forgo the seven-game requirement to play in the PBA Developmental League (D-League).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PBA Season 47 draft</span> 37th edition of the PBA draft

The PBA Season 47 draft was the 37th edition of the PBA draft. The event allowed teams to take turns selecting amateur basketball players and other eligible players, including half-Filipino foreign players. The league determined the drafting order based on the performance of the member teams from the 2021 season, with the worst team picking first.

References

  1. 1 2 Dayao, Jun (April 21, 2014). "Jericho eyes PBA stint". Saipan Tribune . Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  2. "2014 PBA Draft Results". InterAksyon. August 24, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  3. "Rookie Jericho Cruz comes up big as Rain or Shine leapfrogs Alaska, moves into second place". InterAksyon. Archived from the original on December 9, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  4. Joble, Rey (December 10, 2014). "Rain or Shine rookie Jericho Cruz out for the conference after fracturing ankle". InterAksyon. Archived from the original on March 26, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  5. "Jericho Cruz named as 2016 Most Improved Player". PinoyBoxBreak. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  6. Leongson, Randolph (February 15, 2018). "PBA greenlights Jericho Cruz trade to TNT". Inquirer. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  7. "Jericho Cruz joins NLEX as PBA approves 3-team trade". June 10, 2019.
  8. Terrado, Reuben (January 20, 2022). "Jericho Cruz to finish season with NLEX before dealing with free agency". Spin.ph. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  9. Lozada, Bong (February 25, 2022). "PBA: Free agent Jericho Cruz says goodbye to NLEX". Inquirer. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  10. Ramos, Gerry (March 1, 2022). "Jericho Cruz move from NLEX official as he signs with San Miguel". Spin.ph. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  11. Magallon, Reynald (July 7, 2022). "Cruz shines with career-best outing, powers SMB's romp of TNT". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  12. "Jericho Cruz Player Profile, San Miguel Beermen - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com.
  13. Giongco, Mark (January 23, 2020). "Jericho Cruz gets Guam call-up for Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved January 23, 2020.