It did not take long for Jericho Cruz to get into the heated San Miguel-TNT rivalry
For the last year, the Beermen and the Katropa have had a bitter rivalry, including numerous off-court altercations during last season’s playoffs. And the rivalry spilled over into the new season even if their playoff game was just a one-off.
With 1:20 left in the contest and San Miguel sporting a nine-point cushion, Cruz, the latest acquisition of TNT, almost came to blows with Arwind Santos.
According to the five-year pro, Santos apparently elbowed him during a loose ball scrum which led to him confronting the former Most Valuable Player. Moreover, the Filipino-Northern Mariana Islander had already been frustrated prior due to Santos doing the same thing to his teammates.
“Kukuha lang ako ng bola e, mahilig siyang mangbangga ng ganoon. Ginawa niya rin yun sa point guard namin, kay Jayson [Castro], kay [Roger] Pogoy, kay Ryan [Reyes],” recalled Cruz, who finished the game with just three points after averaging 17.0 points for the past two games.
“Siyempre yun nga panalo na nga sila tapos maninira pa siya ng ganoon. Walang bumabawi e so I guess it’s my time na pakita ko na hindi kami mapu-pushover lang nang ganito. Binawian ko din siya.”
Santos was ejected from the game afterwards, as he was slapped with his second technical foul. Cruz, on the other hand, was assessed an unsportsmanlike foul.
Even if the Katropa lost, 93-106, to end their Philippine Cup campaign on a sour note, the 27-year-old has no regrets.
“Wala akong regrets sa ginawa ko. At least papaano kahit ginawa ko yun, alam niya din na may mali din siya di ba?,” the former Adamson Soaring Falcon expressed.
“Hindi lang tayo basta basta na itutulak ng ganoon, na ipu-pushover tayo.”
And Cruz hopes that come next conference, they could get one more crack at the Beermen.
“Hindi naman ako pinalaki ng nanay ko na mapu-push lang ng mga tao e, gets mo? So para sa akin, ‘pag ginawa sayo, e ‘di tignan mo, gawin mo rin sa kanila kung anong mangyayari. Yun ang sa akin,” added Cruz.
“Congrats sa kanila, mas magaling sila ngayon. Para sa akin, bawi na lang siguro kami next conference.”
