Cruz has come a long way

By: Gerry Ramos
People's Journal
October 6, 2007

The Santo Tomas stalwart player who once spent four years buried deep in the Tigers’ Team B roster is now the certified best player of the UAAP men’s basketball tournament’s season 70.

Jervy Cruz, the soft-spoken but ferocious frontcourt man of UST, emerged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of college basketball’s premier league, capping a season he dominated by emerging as the tournament’s top rebounder and third leading scorer.

While the 6-foot-5 sophomore center failed to steer the Tigers to a back-to-back championship, the individual honor was more than gratifying for the former Our Lady of Sacred Heart Academy high school star who almost left the Pontifical University after being relegated to UST’s second unit for quite a long time.

“Muntik na rin akong umalis dahil naiinip na rin ako nung time na `yun,” said the 21-year-old Cruz, who first tried out for the Tigers when the multi-titled Aric del Rosario was still the main man at the UST bench.

“For four years lagi lang akong nasa Team B,” recalled the commerce student from Nueva Ecija, adding he was tempted to try his luck with the Jose Rizal Heavy Bombers in the NCAA but never got to make the grade. “Nung dumating kasi ako dun (JRU) puno na rin sila dahil halos mag-i-start na `yung season.”

Left with no option, he came back, stayed on and persevered with the Tigers, a move that eventually bore fruit when Pido Jarencio – his third coach with UST after del Rosario and Nel Prado – elevated him to the regular roster in 2006.

Cruz’s rookie season proved to be very memorable as he played a key role in UST’s successful title campaign, beating the Ateneo Blue Eagles in a best-of-three finals that went the full route as the Tigers won their first championship in 10 years.

This season, Cruz undoubtedly emerged as UST’s go-to-guy on both ends of the floor, averaging a league-best 15.4 rebounds and 16.8 points. He is also no. 4 in block shots, averaging 1.4 per game.

The UST big man posted 11 double-doubles in 16 games this season - the most by any player – to finish on top of the statistical race with 75.86 points.

The impressive numbers were more than enough for Cruz to garner majority of the votes from players, coaches and media men as deserving MVP over Adamson’s Patrick Cabahug and National U’s Edwin Asoro, who emerged second and third, respectively in the statistical race.

The statistical points comprised 60 percent of the MVP race while the remaining 40 percent is divided among the players, coaches and media votes.