JERICHO Cruz is one tough cookie who loves the jeers just as much as the cheers.
But when fans go too far and involve his family and children, it becomes another matter altogether.
That's why the San Miguel star sought assistance from Smart Araneta Coliseum security to seek the ejection of a fan from courtside during the fourth quarter of Game 2 between San Miguel and Meralco in the PBA Philippine Cup finals on Friday night.
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“Yung murahin ako ng fans, ok lang yan. Ito yung trabaho namin. Ok lang sa akin 'yun, nothing personal. Huwag lang idamay yun magulang natin, nanay natin, anak natin. Kasi iba na yun,” said Cruz after the Beermen’s thrilling 95-94 win.
“Pero kung ako lang, walang problema 'yun. I can take the heat.”
The incident happened after Cruz was hit accidentally by Meralco's Chris Newsome with about eight minutes to go in the game and got knocked down. As he laid on the floor, the former Adamson stalwart said he already heard the fan shouting bad words at him.
Once he stood up, he heard something personal uttered by the fan which he thought was already way below the belt.
“Sabi ko, magulang ko na yun, anak ko na yun. Iba na yun, e,” said Cruz.
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Immediately, he sought the help of the San Miguel coaching staff and called stadium security to have the fan ejected.
“Siyempre hindi naman ako basta susugod dun. Meron naman tayong security dito sa PBA. Kaya ako I’m happy na nag-respond agad sila,” said Cruz.
Venue security and PBA personnel Erveen Rodriguez Yap personally escorted the fan out of the Big Dome.
“Pinalabas na lang siya ng venue. Tinanong namin siya pero wala namang inaamin. Wala daw siyang ginawa,” said Rodriguez of the fan, who he said has been a regular in PBA games.
Cruz again reiterated he doesn’t mind being called out by fans during games, but asked them not to involve his family and children.
“Basta ako sa sarili ko, ok lang akong murahin, basta huwag lang idamay ang family ko,” he added.
Cruz puts incident behind him
Cruz finished with seven points and two assists as the Beermen tied the best-of-seven series at 1-1.
Cruz said he is putting the incident behind him.
“Ok na ako. Napatawad ko na yun. Tapos na yun. Move on na tayo sa next game,” said the San Miguel guard.
Game 3 will be on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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