DROPPING THE HAMMER
In last season’s PBA Philippine Cup Finals, Jericho Cruz gave San Miguel Beer’s second unit a fresh identity—one built on disruptive energy. Cruz and his bench mob called themselves the “Martilyo (hammer) Gang,” pounding opponents into submission with their trademark relentlessness.
But after a championship slipped through their hands—Meralco snatched the title in six games—and a flurry of trades scattered key reserves, the famed second unit fell quiet. For nearly a year, the gang’s reputation as the Beermen’s secret weapon faded into something resembling nostalgia.
Almost.
On Friday night at Araneta Coliseum, Cruz breathed life back into that identity. Coming off the bench with the urgency of a man determined to reclaim a legacy, he poured in 27 points and snatched four steals, propelling San Miguel to a 103-92 victory over Barangay Ginebra in Game 5 of their semifinals series.
“In this series, I think we’re getting more bench points,” Cruz told the Inquirer while still chasing his breath after another tireless performance. “If our first group doesn’t step up, then we have to. There’s no other way. Hopefully, we will continue this again.”
While CJ Perez erupted for 31 points and June Mar Fajardo anchored the paint with a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds, it was Cruz and the retooled bench that repeatedly shoved back every Ginebra surge.
Cruz logged 28 intense minutes, playing as though the season depended on each possession. He was flanked by Don Trollano, who contributed 11 points, and veterans Mo Tautuaa, Jeron Teng and Chris Ross—none of whom piled up big numbers but collectively made life miserable for the Gin Kings.
“Our second group is like a first group,” Cruz said. “We have Don, Jeron, Mo and Chris. It’s up to us on how we blend right away.”
That blend was seamless. The Beermen’s reserves limited Ginebra to just 37 percent shooting. Tautuaa and Teng combined for a modest seven points but clogged lanes, contested every look, and forced the Kings into rushed shots. Ross, scoreless for the night, added three steals and steady leadership.
San Miguel now stands within a win of a return to the Finals, holding a 3-2 series lead that feels like a hard-earned restoration of identity. But as Cruz knows, closeout games are different battles altogether.
“This is honestly the hardest one,” he said. “If they win, there’ll be a Game 7—and we know that’s tough. We’ll give it all in the next game and hopefully, we win.”
Game 6 tips off on Sunday at 5 p.m., back at the Araneta Coliseum.
If Cruz has his way, the bench will be swinging hammers again looking to pound on the Kings’ morale.
