Batang Pier eye trade to bolster lineup

MANILA, Philippines - Jervy Cruz, the main man of the last UST team to win the UAAP crown in 2006, will soon be reunited with collegiate coach Pido Jarencio at the Globalport Batang Pier camp in the PBA.

Cruz, the No. 4 pick in the 2009 PBA draft, is moving over from Rain or Shine to Globalport through a trade deal also involving three-year pro Jewel Ponferada and the Batang Pier’s second-round pick in the coming draft.

The deal, sealed by the two teams yesterday afternoon, is subject to the approval of new PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa.

Globalport is also trying to work out a trade deal with Barangay Ginebra involving veteran center/power forward Dorian Peña.

Cruz spent the first five years of his PBA career with the Elasto Painters, accumulating decent averages of 6.3 points and 4.8 rebounds.

He’s likely to play a bigger role under Jarencio, under whom he played all his collegiate playing years at UST.

The 6-foot-4 Nueva Ecija native won the 2006 UAAP MVP crown and the following year became a part of the Harbour-Centre-backed national team that made a successful title run in the SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima.

 Thus, he’s also sort of making a homecoming with the Mikee Romero-owned Globalport team.

In the PBA, Cruz made the All-Rookie Team in 2010 then won the Mr. Quality Minutes award in 2013.

 A freak accident at home caused Cruz to miss their semifinal showdown with San Miguel Beer in the last PBA Governors Cup.