Gilas' Carl Bryan Cruz hits ground running with last-minute SEAG trip
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Carl Bryan Cruz | Photo from Bounty Sports
KUALA LUMPUR – Carl Bryan Cruz turned 26 on Monday rushing to catch flights from Beirut to Doha to Kuala Lumpur to continue service to the national tricolors.
And he literally and figuratively hit the ground running here.
Barely catching the Philippines-Myanmar game, the Alaska Milk wingman fired 12 points and snared four rebounds as contribution in their 129-34 mangling of the Burmese at the MABA Stadium.
After the match, Cruz was with the other Gilas cadets comforting Mac Belo as the latter was to fly home to report back to his mother ball club Blackwater.
Needless to say, they all feel for Belo, whose mishap at the start of Gilas’ initial training camp in Taal Esplendido in March cost him supposed stint in the FIBA Asia Cup then here in the SEA Games.
“I’m sad for Mac especially as he’s my teammate at FEU,” said Cruz.
As Belo was out of shape during Gilas’ Jones Cup stint, the Gilas coaching staff decided to list up Cruz for the FIBA Asia Cup instead of Belo.
Part of the plan then was to later replace Cruz with Belo in the SEAG lineup, but it didn’t work out, leaving Belo with an empty bag.
“Last call. It’s only after our last game in Lebanon that I was told I was flying to Kuala Lumpur. From the game, just an hour preparation and I left for the airport,” said Cruz.
“I turned a year older in the sky. It was exciting and tiring. And I have to work hard right away, but it’s okay as it’s for the country,” said Cruz.
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