RAIN OR SHINE ELASTOPAINTERS
#9 / 6'0'' / G
ADAMSON UNIVERSITY
| GP | MIN | FGM/FGA | FG% | 3PM/3PA | 3P% | FTM/FTA | FT% | REB | AST | BLK | STL | PF | TOV | PTS |
| 11 | 21.96 | 3.09 / 9.00 | 34% | 1.55 / 4.64 | 33% | 0.55 / 0.91 | 60% | 3.27 | 2.36 | 0.27 | 0.91 | 1.64 | 1.00 | 8.27 |
| 11 | 241.55 | 34 / 99 | 34% | 17 / 51 | 33% | 6 / 10 | 60% | 36 | 26 | 3 | 10 | 17 | 11 | 91 |
| DATE | OPP | SCORE | MIN | FGM/FGA | FG% | 3PM/3PA | 3P% | FTM/FTA | FT% | REB | AST | BLK | STL | PF | TOV | PTS |
| SEP 23 | BWE | W 122-98 | 14.72 | 0 / 6 | 0% | 0 / 2 | 0% | 0 / 0 | 0% | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| SEP 20 | ALA | W 112-82 | 20.67 | 4 / 11 | 36% | 2 / 6 | 0% | 2 / 2 | 100% | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| SEP 16 | GIN | L 82-89 | 30.77 | 4 / 12 | 33% | 4 / 9 | 0% | 1 / 2 | 50% | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| SEP 13 | PHX | W 116-111 | 28.78 | 5 / 13 | 38% | 4 / 8 | 100% | 0 / 0 | 0% | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| SEP 06 | SMB | L 96-103 | 10.50 | 0 / 2 | 0% | 0 / 1 | 0% | 0 / 0 | 0% | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| - | - | - | 21.09 | 2.60 / 8.80 | 21.40% | 2.00 / 5.20 | 20.00% | 2.60 / 8.80 | 21.40% | 3.00 | 2.80 | 0.20 | 0.80 | 1.80 | 0.40 | 7.80 |
| - | - | - | 105.44 | 13 / 44 | 21.40% | 10 / 26 | 0.20% | 13 / 44 | 21.40% | 15 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 39 |
High school and college career
Cruz started his basketball career in Saipan where he helped the CNMI national basketball team finish sixth in the 2008 FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament leading CNMI to a sixth place finish and in the process, was voted as one of the tournament's Top 5 players.
He then decided to try his luck in the Philippines where he initially played for Rizal Technological University in 2010, the same year when the Blue Thunder ruled the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association.
He was also a member of RTU’s two-time runner up squad in the National Capital Region Athletic Association where the Blue Thunder lost to Olivarez College and Colegio de Sta. Monica in 2010 and 2011. He was a member of the Mythical Team in 2011.
He was spotted by then Adamson Soaring Falcons coach Leo Austria while playing in a tournament in Bacolod. He averaged 10.1 points per game in his first tour of duty with the Falcons in the 2011 FilOil Flying V Preseason tournament then averaged 12.3 markers per outing in his rookie year with Adamson in the 2012 UAAP season.
He elected to forgo his final year with the Falcons and applied for the 2014 PBA draft.
Professional career
Cruz was drafted 9th overall by Rain or Shine in the 2014 PBA draft. and was considered as a "steal" by basketball experts. On December 5, 2014, he registered his first breakout game against Alaska, finishing 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting. Two days later, he suffered a broken foot during their game against Ginebra and was out for the rest of the All-Filipino conference. He has since returned to active play in the 2015 Commissioner's Cup.
International career
Cruz was a part of the Philippines team that won the gold medal at the 2013 Southeast Asian Games basketball tournament in Naypyidaw, Myanmar.
He has also represented the Northern Mariana Islands at the youth level, playing in the 2008 FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament leading CNMI to a sixth place finish and in the process, was voted as one of the tournament's Top 5 players, and in the 2010 Micronesian Games.
