Diminutive Cruz stands tall, cops NCAA Player of the Week honors

MANILA, Philippines – Letran co-skipper Mark Cruz was named ACCEL Quantum-3XVI NCAA Press Corps Player of the Week after coming through with a career effort in the Knights recent 84-77 overtime victory over the Jose Rizal Bombers in the 90th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

One of the smallest players in the league today, Cruz didn't show it as he towered above everyone else and burned Jose Rizal with a career-high 26 points, including 10 in overtime to kept Letran in the Final Four hunt.

"He's one of the two leaders of this team and he knows the guys rely on him when he it comes to crunch time," said Letran coach Caloy Garcia of Cruz.

Cruz's star shone the brightest in OT where he made a pair of booming triples that gave the Muralla-based dribblers a cushion and then sank four free throws that sealed Jose Rizal's doom.

For that, Cruz bested Perpetual Help's Gab Dagangon and College of St. Benilde's Juan Paolo Taha for the weekly plum backed Bactigel hand sanitizer, Doctor J Mighty Alcohol and Mighty Mom Dishwashing.

Cruz's recent effort ended a string of subpar efforts and frustrations as the Knights struggled in the first round while he's also looking to regain his old lethal form.

"I just didn't give up on myself and the team, we kept the faith," said Cruz, whose Knights have improved to 4-6 (win-loss).