MANILA, Philippines–A lot of words and terms have become synonymous with the name Jericho Cruz.

“PBA champion” is one of them. “San Miguel guard” is another, and so is “Adamson product.” But over the past few days, the word that resonates most with Cruz is “angas.”

“Angas,” loosely translated to “arrogance” or “boastfulness,” might have a negative connotation to some, but inside the basketball court, every team needs someone who plays with that kind of flair.

“Hindi kumpleto ‘yong laro ko [‘pag walang angas],” Cruz told the Inquirer after San Miguel Beer’s Game 5 loss to TNT at Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday night.

“Even when I was a kid, I was already like this. I couldn’t just live or play quietly. They can watch my clips when I was still in Adamson. They can check my reactions there: it’s all the same as I am now.”

READ: PBA Finals: Jericho Cruz stunned by Jojo Lastimosa’s remarks

Lately, Cruz has been taking heat on social media for the way he plays.

The former Soaring Falcon flexes his muscles after a tough finish, sticks his tongue out after scoring over heavy defense, and points to the crowd to fire them up.

Sure, if you’re a Beermen fan, you’d love that. But if you’re on the other side–especially TNT–you might take it personally.

“It’s part of the game. Those fans love their team and they support them, so I support those fans because they’re die-hard fans. I have nothing against them. I support what they do,” said Cruz following San Miguel’s 86-78 defeat to the Tropang 5G.

San Miguel Beermen’s Jericho Cruz during the PBA Philippine CUp Finals Game 4 against TNT Tropang 5G. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Fresh off a 23-point outing in Game 4 that gave the Beermen a 3-1 lead, Cruz dropped another 20-piece in Game 5.

Unfortunately, his flair for the dramatic wasn’t enough to close out TNT. He looked a bit more subdued on the floor compared to his usual fiery presence.

“The team just relaxed a bit,” said Cruz. “That’s something that shouldn’t happen in the next game. We need to play with more sense of urgency. We’ll bounce back. It’ll be hard for us to sleep tonight, but we’ll survive.”

Play your way

San Miguel Beermen’s Jericho Cruz during the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against TNT Tropang 5G. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Much of Cruz’s unleashed fire, especially in this season-ending series with the Tropang 5G, stems from a nudge by San Miguel sports director Alfrancis Chua.

Instead of telling Cruz to calm down or be more composed, Chua encouraged him to be himself–to play the game he’s always played.

“Boss Al even told me before to keep playing my game. Whatever game it is I play, just play it,” Cruz said. “I appreciated that. Because of him, my game is showing up in these Finals.”

HINDI NAMAN AKO SORE LOSER

Jericho Cruz accepts San Miguel Beer’s Game 5 defeat to TNT on Wednesday that extended the PBA Philippine Cup Finals @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/kHiYqJqZXh

— Jonas Terrado (@jonasterradoINQ) July 24, 2025

As expected, Cruz’s fierce style has drawn judgment–including a comment from TNT team manager Jojo Lastimosa after Game 4.

Still, that won’t stop Cruz from being what he has always been inside the hardwood: a hard-nosed, in-your-face, spitfire guard who will let you know he’s miles ahead–at least on the court.

“At the end of the day, it’s just basketball. I’m not hurting anyone. If they think I’m cocky, that’s just how I am inside the court. I’m a different person outside of it.”

“Fans don’t affect me. I just play with my mind within basketball.”

Cruz looks to bring back what the Beermen lacked in Game 5 this Friday at Philsports Arena in Pasig.