LAST month, Celino Cruz was a Manila visitor for the second time this year, and was spotted watching a Rain or Shine game at the Mall of Asia Arena during the PBA 49th Season Philippine Cup semifinals.
Earlier this year, Cruz was also back in Manila as he reunited with his former teammates at Red Bull as well as their head coach Yeng Guiao, who is still at it on the sidelines as the coach of the Elasto Painters.
For his recent trip, Cruz said it was for his son Andres, who will now be playing for Far Eastern University-Diliman. Incidentally, Cruz played college ball at FEU, and he is hoping that he would also be able to one day play in the PBA like he did.
READ Red Bull nostalgia sparks nostalgia of team's good ol' days
“’Yung anak ko gusto rin maglaro ng basketball,” said Cruz in an interview last July. “Plano talaga (bumalik sa Manila) para doon sa youngest ko. Naka-settle naman siya ngayon. Nasa FEU-Diliman siya ngayon for 16-under.”
Cruz said his son is also playing basketball in California where the family is now based, and wants to make a career out of it, even it means being away from his family.
“Desidido siyang pumunta dito. Sabi ko, ikaw lang mag-isa dito, by yourself. ‘I’m okay, dad’ sabi niya. Willing naman siya. So hopefully, makapunta rin siya sa PBA eventually,” said Cruz.
Andres will look to follow in the footsteps of his father, who was one of the top collegiate players during his time with FEU and was a gold medalist in the 2003 Southeast Asian Games.
Talk ‘N Text drafted him in 2002 at No. 19 overall, but he didn't get to play in the PBA until 2004 with Shell. But some of his best years came from 2005 to 2008 when he played for Red Bull under Guiao, winning a championship in the 2005-06 Fiesta Conference.
Cruz also played for Air21, Burger King, Purefoods, Barangay Ginebra, Powerade, and Barako Bull before his PBA career ended in 2013.
A few years later, Cruz moved to the US, where his family is based for eight years now.
“Right now, nasa medical transport ako pero non-emergency. Okay naman. Maganda naman doon,” said Cruz, who is based in Sacramento.
“Actually, neighbor ko si Jimmy Alapag. Small world. Nagkikita rin kami doon,” said Cruz.
The Hagonoy, Bulacan native said he won’t be where he is now without the help of Guiao, who brought opportunities for him in the PBA when he played under him with Red Bull.
“Sobrang laki kasi ‘yung buong career ko, actually si coach Yeng ang nagbigay sa akin ng career sa PBA,” said Cruz. “Thankful ako na naging coach ko si coach Yeng. That’s why kapag bumabalik kami dito, tawag kami kay coach Yeng, kumusta, never namin siya nakakalimutan.”
READ Guiao on Red Bull teams: ‘It was like family, walang superstar’
“Always support kami kay coach Yeng,” said Cruz.
Now 48 years old, Cruz also cherishes his time with Red Bull, and their brotherhood continues to this day, as proven by his trip to Manila earlier this year where a reunion was organized by some members of the team.
“Na-miss ko ‘yung mga Red Bull boys, sila Coach Yeng, iba ‘yung samahan eh,” said Cruz.
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