John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

Article (news)

Jericho Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1753518193066129A7128.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals MVP Jericho Cruz. PBA Images"/>PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals MVP Jericho Cruz. PBA Images</div>MANILA, Philippines – PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals MVP Jericho Cruz did not forget to thank the people who brought him into San Miguel, namely Ramon S. Ang, the Chairman and CEO of San Miguel Corporation, and SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua.After failing to clinch the all-Filipino title last year, Cruz and the rest of the Beermen were victorious in their redemption tour, stopping TNT in its tracks to the grand slam in this year&#x27;s Philippine Cup finals in six games.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/7/25/san-miguel-reclaims-all-filipino-throne-denies-tnts-grand-slam-dreams-2142">READ: PBA: San Miguel reclaims all-Filipino throne at the expense of TNT&#x27;s Grand Slam dreams </a></div>He said that his &quot;life got better&quot; just by joining San Miguel.&quot;Gusto ko lang din mag-thank you kay Boss RSA [Ramon S. Ang] tsaka kay Boss Al[francis Chua], siyempre dahil kinuha nila &#x27;ko sa NLEX. Gumanda &#x27;yung buhay ko dahil napunta ako sa San Miguel,&quot; said Cruz during the championship presser.They completed their return to the Philippine Cup throne after a 107-96 Game 6 win on Friday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.It was a championship series filled with drama, as Cruz had a spat with TNT team manager Jojo Lastimosa, with whom he was with in NLEX; and it was him who was among the recipients of TNT fans&#x27; boos from the crowd.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/7/25/pba-jericho-cruz-wins-breakthrough-finals-mvp-award-2303">READ: PBA: Jericho Cruz wins breakthrough Finals MVP award </a></div>But, as it turned out, his way of silencing the critics was his first-ever Finals MVP citation.The tension began when a controversy marred Game 1—the infamous offensive interference call by the technical committee on Mo Tautuaa&#x27;s dunk, which ultimately proved decisive.But for Cruz, that result became a motivation for them to bounce back. On top of their stronger chemistry was Chris Ross, who kept on pushing them through their &quot;newly formed group chat.&quot;<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/7/23/jericho-cruz-on-boos-from-tnt-fans-kahit-murahin-nila-ko-basta-wag-lang-yung-family-ko-0124">READ: Jericho Cruz on boos from TNT fans: &#x27;Kahit murahin nila &#x27;ko, basta &#x27;wag lang &#x27;yung family ko&#x27; </a></div>&quot;Kumbaga, andoon na kami, eh. Pero okay lang din na natalo kami, kasi talagang &#x27;yun &#x27;yung nag-fuel sa amin, &#x27;yun &#x27;yung naging gas sa &#x27;min. So lahat kami, nag-usap kami na we have to play [every game] like it&#x27;s our last game,&quot; the SMB swingman underscored.&quot;Kami, gusto namin mag-champion. Lahat kami na-down no&#x27;n, pero good thing na we have a group chat na. Ta&#x27;s siya [Chris Ross] nagsisimula do&#x27;n na &#x27;we can do it, we can bounce back.&#x27;&quot;

"Gusto ko lang din mag-thank you kay Boss RSA [Ramon S. Ang] tsaka kay Boss Al[francis Chua], siyempre dahil kinuha nila 'ko sa NLEX. Gumanda 'yung buhay ko dahil napunta ako sa San Miguel," says the Finals MVP #PBAFinals #PBA

"Gusto ko lang din mag-thank you kay Boss RSA [Ramon S. Ang] tsaka kay Boss Al[francis Chua], siyempre dahil kinuha nila 'ko sa NLEX. Gumanda 'yung buhay ko dahil napunta ako sa San Miguel," says the Finals MVP #PBAFinals #PBA

PBA: 'Gumanda buhay ko sa SMB,' says Finals MVP Jericho Cruz

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PBA: 'Gumanda buhay ko sa SMB,' says Finals MVP Jericho Cruz

Kennedy Caacbay,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 26, 2025 04:43 PM PHT

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Jericho Cruz

San Miguel Beermen

Ramon S. Ang

Alfrancis Chua

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