Cruz embraces bench role

Jericho Cruz doesn’t mind coming off the bench as long as he can provide the numbers to help San Miguel Beer reach its ultimate goal of returning to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) throne.

In fact, the veteran is thriving with his sixth man role in the Beermen’s Philippine Cup championship series against the grand slam-seeking TNT Tropang 5G.

Cruz has been providing the spark off San Miguel’s deep bench in the best-of-seven showdown that the Beermen are trying to wrap in Game 5 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum as of press time for the franchise’s 30th title overall.

The 34-year-old Filipino-Guamanian is averaging 12.5 points, 3.25 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game aside from the hustle and energy he brings to the table whenever head coach Leo Austria calls his number.

“Well, just like what I said before, what I’m doing is next man stepping up,” Cruz said.

“When our first group is struggling and not playing well, Don (Trollano) and I are here to step up in the second group. That’s what we’re doing,” he added.

Cruz played his best game so far in the series last Sunday in the pivotal Game 4 that San Miguel won, 105-91, to move on the cusp of annexing the all-Filipino crown it lost last year to Meralco.

The shooting guard found his mark from the outside including three straight treys in the Beermen’s decisive run that broke the game open with eight minutes left in the fourth. Cruz has 23 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field, including 5-of-7 from the three-point area.

Austria lauded his former college player for delivering the goods and for his consistency.

“Jericho Cruz, well, I’ve known him since college. I know his courage. I know his strengths and I know his weaknesses. And you’ll see him stepping up at the right time and the right place,” the nine-time PBA champion mentor said of the Adamson University product.

It was Austria who convinced the 2014 ninth overall Draft pick to pursue a PBA career.

“He also knows me as a coach. I’m so happy I have a good relationship with the players, especially from college. Before, he’s not supposed to be in the PBA, he wanted to go back to the US after college. His father wanted him to be enlisted in the US Navy,” he said.

“But I told him, you have the potential to be a good PBA player. And that’s what happened. And from there, everything as they say is history.”

Cruz is spearheading a very efficient bench mob. San Miguel’s relievers are averaging 44.2 points per game in the first four matches compared to just 32 from their counterparts.

“We’re also giving motivation (to our starters). Because if we play well, when they go in, they’ll play better,” Cruz said.