THE presence of Yeng Guiao in Game 5 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals somehow inspired Jericho Cruz to show his appreciation for the career break given to him by his former coach a decade ago.
The San Miguel guard admitted coach Guiao being on the television panel for Sunday's game between the Beermen and the Magnolia Hotshots was an added motivation for him to go all out and eventually post a career-playoff game in a 108-98 win before a big crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
COLUMN: Jericho Cruz makes Magnolia pay for defensive gamble
Cruz, 33, finished with a team-high 30 points spiked by a fiery 8-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc, eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals in the win that tilted the tide in favor of the Beermen anew, 3-2, in the best-of-seven series,
He later said seeing Guiao at the Big Dome prior to the start of the game inspired him to be at his best.
“For me siyempre gusto kong magpakita kasi si coach Yeng ang isa sa nagbigay ng pangalan sa akin dito sa PBA. Without coach Yeng, I won’t be able to make it talaga,” said Cruz of the veteran coach, who is also his wedding godfather.
Guiao of course, was responsible for selecting Cruz in the first round of the 2014 draft (No. 9 overall) for Rain or Shine, where the two won a championship during the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.
The two later parted ways but got reunited with NLEX, before going their separate paths anew when Cruz opted to sign with San Miguel as an unrestricted free agent.
But Cruz said the respect will always be there for the man responsible for making him the player that he is right now.
“Kung puwede kong i-dedicate yung laro ko na yun kay coach Yeng, ide-dedicate ko yun sa kanya,” he said.
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.
