San Miguel Beermen’s Jericho Cruz within the PBA Finals Recreation 2. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.internet
They name themselves the Martilyo (Hammer) Gang.
And for good cause.
“As a result of once we are despatched in, we simply carry on pounding,” Jericho Cruz, San Miguel Beer’s gutsy backup guard, advised the Inquirer on late Sunday night after his staff’s 109-85 Recreation 2 victory over Magnolia within the Philippine Basketball Affiliation (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup Finals. “The momentum shifted with us [on the floor] throughout the third and fourth quarters so we’re glad to grind it out and [contribute to getting] the win.”
“Our aim as a second unit is to supply extra power so when the primary 5 comes again within the sport, [the team will] nonetheless have the power,” Cruz added.
The Martilyo Gang, also referred to as the Martilyo Boys, is only a subset of coach Jorge Gallent’s “Loss of life 15,” a collective time period for the Beermen that speaks about their depth.
And Cruz, who completed with 10 factors, together with two triples, and 5 rebounds mentioned every member of that 15-man roster has been beneficial within the convention to date—and within the staff’s chase for the title. Cruz leads the bench mob of San Miguel, together with the likes of Mo Tautuaa and Don Trollano.
“Even gamers within the third group, coach doesn’t contemplate them as a 3rd group,” Cruz mentioned. “All of us right here can begin; we within the second group, once we go within the sport, we need to heighten our ranges of play. If [the starters] play properly and we don’t, it gained’t look good, proper?”
The Beermen’s depth has been a thorn in Magnolia’s aspect on this sequence and the Martilyo Gang provides extra pounding to the teaching workers’s headache. INQ