Jericho Cruz

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In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Setubal and the surname or paternal family name is Cruz.
Jericho Cruz
PBA - TNT vs ROS - Jericho Cruz - ROS - 2016-0321 (25973208055).jpg
Cruz with Rain or Shine in 2016
No. 39 – NLEX Road Warriors
PositionShooting guard
LeaguePBA
Personal information
Born (1990-10-11) October 11, 1990 (age 31)
Pasig, Philippines
NationalityFilipino / Guamanian / Northern Mariana Islander
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High schoolMarianas High School (Saipan CNMI)
CollegeRizal Technological University
Adamson University
PBA draft2014 Round: 1 / Pick: 9th overall
Selected by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
Playing career2014–present
Career history
2014–2018Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
2018–2019TNT KaTropa
2019–presentNLEX Road Warriors
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's Basketball
Representing  Philippines
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2013 Naypyidaw Team

Jericho Xavier Setubal Cruz (born October 11, 1990) is a Filipino-Guamanian professional basketball player for the NLEX Road Warriors of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

High school and college career[]

Cruz started his basketball career in Saipan where he helped the CNMI national basketball team finish sixth in the 2008 FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament leading CNMI to a sixth-place finish and in the process, was voted as one of the tournament's Top 5 players.

He then decided to try his luck in the Philippines where he initially played for Rizal Technological University in 2010, the same year when the Blue Thunder ruled the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association.

He was also a member of RTU’s two-time runner up squad in the National Capital Region Athletic Association where the Blue Thunder lost to Olivarez College and Colegio de Sta. Monica in 2010 and 2011. He was a member of the Mythical Team in 2011.

He was spotted by then Adamson Soaring Falcons coach Leo Austria while playing in a tournament in Bacolod. He averaged 10.1 points per game in his first tour of duty with the Falcons in the 2011 FilOil Flying V Preseason tournament then averaged 12.3 markers per outing in his rookie year with Adamson in the 2012 UAAP season.[1]

He elected to forgo his final year with the Falcons and applied for the 2014 PBA draft.

Professional career[]

Cruz was drafted 9th overall by Rain or Shine in the 2014 PBA draft.[2] and was considered as a "steal" by basketball experts. On December 5, 2014, he registered his first breakout game against Alaska, finishing 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting.[3] Two days later, he suffered a broken foot during their game against Ginebra and was out for the rest of the All-Filipino conference.[4] He has since returned to active play in the 2015 Commissioner's Cup.

He was recognized during the 2016 PBA Leo Awards as he bagged the Most Improved Player trophy.[5]

On February 15, 2018, he was traded to TNT KaTropa in exchange for rookie , Kris Rosales and 2018 first round pick.[6]

PBA career statistics[]

Legend
  GP Games played   GS Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

As of the end of 2020 season[7]

Season-by-season averages[]

Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2014–15 Rain or Shine 40 17.0 .421 .237 .861 2.4 1.4 .7 .0 6.6
2015–16 53 24.4 .483 .367 .748 3.2 2.1 .8 .1 12.5
2016–17 38 23.8 .396 .306 .735 4.5 2.4 1.0 .1 9.8
2017–18 Rain or Shine / TNT 27 20.7 .415 .355 .710 2.9 2.8 1.3 .1 8.0
2019 TNT / NLEX 25 23.3 .372 .270 .719 3.8 3.4 .9 .0 9.4
2020 NLEX 10 25.9 .516 .383 .696 2.5 3.8 1.3 .2 13.2
Career 193 22.1 .433 .321 .761 3.3 2.3 .9 .1 9.7

National team career[]

Cruz was a part of the Philippines team that won the gold medal at the 2013 Southeast Asian Games basketball tournament in Naypyidaw, Myanmar.

He has also represented the Northern Mariana Islands at the youth level, playing in the 2008 FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament leading CNMI to a sixth-place finish and in the process, was voted as one of the tournament's Top 5 players,[1] and in the 2010 Micronesian Games.

In January 2020, Cruz received a call-up to play for Guam at the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Dayao, Jun (April 21, 2014). "Jericho eyes PBA stint". Saipan Tribune. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  2. ^ "2014 PBA Draft Results". InterAksyon. August 24, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  3. ^ "Rookie Jericho Cruz comes up big as Rain or Shine leapfrogs Alaska, moves into second place". InterAksyon. Archived from the original on December 9, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  4. ^ Joble, Rey (December 10, 2014). "Rain or Shine rookie Jericho Cruz out for the conference after fracturing ankle". InterAksyon. Archived from the original on March 26, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  5. ^ "Jericho Cruz named as 2016 Most Improved Player". PinoyBoxBreak. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  6. ^ Leongson, Randolph (February 15, 2018). "PBA greenlights Jericho Cruz trade to TNT". Inquirer. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  7. ^ [1] Real GM
  8. ^ Giongco, Mark (23 January 2020). "Jericho Cruz gets Guam call-up for Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
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