Jericho Cruz
Cruz with Rain or Shine in 2016
No. 39 – San Miguel Beermen
PositionShooting guard
LeaguePBA
Personal information
Born (1990-10-11) October 11, 1990
Pasig, Philippines
NationalityFilipino / Guamanian / Northern Mariana Islander
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High schoolMarianas High School
CollegeRizal Technological University
Adamson University
PBA draft2014: 1st round, 9th overall pick
Selected by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
Playing career2014–present
Career history
2014–2018Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
2018–2019TNT KaTropa
2019–2022NLEX Road Warriors
2022–presentSan Miguel Beermen
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's Basketball
Representing  Philippines
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2013 NaypyidawTeam

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).

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
  GP Games played   GS Games 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

Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
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
Career 27522.9.435.316.7443.22.5.9.110.0

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]

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.
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