THREE San Miguel players will be in action for the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers tussle between Gilas Pilipinas and Guam.
One of them, of course, will be playing for Guam in Jericho Cruz as he goes up against the Philippines on the international stage for the first time, a squad with teammates June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez on the other side.
Cruz said it will be all business for him when Guam takes on Philippines in a pair of games including the November 28 tiff to be held at their home floor.
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“Kahit sa game ‘yan, sa loob, siyempre pagdating sa basketball, competition eh,” said Cruz. “We are there to compete. Siyempre dala nila ang Pilipinas, ako Guam. Pero at the end of the day, we are brothers.”
Cruz once played for the Philippine national team when he captured the gold medal in the 2013 Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar. He later transferred to Guam where he also traces his roots and has been playing for the team since 2020.
The San Miguel guard expects his teammates in Fajardo, Perez and the rest of Gilas Pilipinas for that matter to play their heart out even though Guam is the underdog for the match-up.
“After na ‘yung game, wala na ‘yun. Kung anong mangyari sa amin, on the court lang ‘yun kasi siyempre, lahat kami mag-go hard din eh if ever na maglaro kami. So ganun din sa side nila,” he stated
“Pero kami, wala kaming pressure. I don’t have any pressure. Well just have fun. Enjoy the moment."
On the prospect of being booed for the December 1 Gilas home game, Cruz said it's nothing new to him.
“Sanay naman ako dyan eh. Kapag nasa court naman ako, hindi ko naman napapansin ‘yan eh. Ako, within basketball lang ako. Enjoying ko lang ‘yung moment na makalaban ko ‘yung Gilas,” said Cruz.
After the Gilas games, Guam will be up for bigger challenges ahead in order to advance into the next phase of the World Cup qualifiers as it also has world-rated squads Australia and New Zealand in Group A.
Guam will battle the Boomers and the Tall Blacks in Window 2 on February 26 and March 1.
“Sobrang hina ‘no?” Cruz stated in jest.
“Sa amin, masaya lang ako para sa amin na kumuha ng experience. Someday, pagkatapos ko sa basketball, masasabi ok sa mga anak ko na I’ve played against these teams –Gilas, Australia, New Zealand – ‘yun lang ‘yung madadala ko habang lumalaki ‘yung mga anak ko. So, I’m just gonna enjoy it and we’ll see what will happen.”
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