JERICHO Cruz will miss out on San Miguel’s EASL showdown with Eastern as he serves out a one-game suspension meted on him by the regional league.
The suspension of the veteran guard stemmed from his ejection from the team’s fight-marred home game against the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots last Nov. 13 at the Philsports Arena.
Cruz was called for a disqualifying foul in the fourth quarter after he was caught sneaking in a closed-fist hit on Taoyuan's towering import Alec Brown.
The Beermen went on to lose the match, 101-85, to remain winless (0-2) in Group A.
Cruz is one of three players the reigning PBA Commissioner’s Cup champion didn’t line up for its first meeting with Hong Kong-based team Eastern, along with fellow guards Jeron Teng and Simon Enciso.
READ Jericho Cruz ejected in SMB's fight-marred EASL game vs. Taoyuan
San Miguel’s 12-man roster include June Mar Fajardo, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross, CJ Perez, Andreas Cahilig, Mo Tautuaa, Juami Tiongson, Kris Rosales, Rodney Brondial, and Don Trollano along with imports Torren Jones and Quincy Miller.
The game at the Southorn Stadium is set at 8:10 p.m. and serves as coach Leo Austria’s first EASL outing with the Beermen since taking back the coaching reins from Jorge Gallent.
Cruz got into a physical contact with Brown at the 6:32 mark of the final quarter that later escalated into a shoving incident among players from both teams.
As cooler heads were pacifying the persons involved, Cruz threw a closed fist on the Taoyuan import, leading to his automatic ejection.
Cruz sparked the incident after earlier hacking Brown hard on the hand and was called for a regular foul.
Annoyed by the physicality of the San Miguel guard, Brown swung his elbow at Cruz but missed out in the former Adamson stalwart.
Miller then got into the fray with a hard shove on Brown as players from both teams emptied their benches.
Brown was later called for a personal and technical foul, while Miller was whistled for an unsportsmanlike foul.
Cruz was the only player ejected for throwing a punch.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
